ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5603, 1 June 1905, Page 6

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING. The twentieth annual meeting of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society was hold last night in the Chamber of Commerce, Mr W. H. Becthara, of Wairarapa, in the chair. There were about forty members present. In criticising the annual report, various members suggested that the society should try tlie experiment of liberating yearling trout instead of fry, and bettor methods of catching young red deer for liberation on the Tararua range and other districts. In reply to the latter suggestion, Mr L. ■G. Reed, tho treasurer, said deer bad JWioa liberated on tho Tararua range as far back as 1887.- The society could catch as many young deer as it could •handle, and if it could nob do so, it could got as many as it wanted from Victoria. There were herds at Wainni, the forest reserve at Paraparaumu, near Tnihnpe, and Eketabuna. The next lot to bo liberated would bo sent to tjio Ruamahanga country, or anywhere else, whore they would not become a nuisance. He stated that deer • had been sent from the Wellington district to Stewart Island, Waikaremoana, and tho Tongariro National Park. The stocking system had not been a failure, it had really been 1 a .success. Mr Beotbam thought an effort should t>o made to more rapidly stock tho Tararuas. It was an ideal deer park, and all sportsmen would support the society in faster stocking, Mr L. 0. H. Tripp suggested that the Government should bo approached for assistance in stocking the Tararuas. In Wellington there was very iittlo area for stalkers. There was the finest rod deer in the world in New Sea land, and it would be more profitable to develop those ire had than to import more. Ne. stated that a lot of poaching went on throughout the Government, reserve of ten thousand acres in tho South Wairarapa, and he understood that Mr Moorhouse, tho Government’s officer, had made a report that ■\ deor sanctuary was an absolute necessity. If there was no sanctuary, he (Mr Tripp) was satisfied there would <oon bo no stalking. Mr S. W. Smith suggested that the Government should he asked to gazette protected areas for quail and pheasants. Ho stated that tho Wainui was absolutely denuded of feathered game. _ Dr Mackenzie suggested the importation of fallow doer and spring hock and stein hock. Tho fallow deer was good sport, and would increase rapidly in the colony. As for the protection of feathered game, he felt that while polison was being laid for rabbits, tho quail would suffer. Air L. G. Reed considered that tho ■quail in the Wellington district would not suffer from rabbit poison. There had been some good bags of quail. ■Mr S. W. Smith, asked if tho new council would make an effort to protect ducks on the Horowhenua Lake. Ho know that tho shooting of ducks went on all tho year round. X>r Mackenzie said that as far as he knew, only Maoris shot ducks all tho year round, and they claimed the right to do so under the Treaty of Waitangi. Mr G. W. Darvall thought the greatest trouble the society had to face was the poacher. In all the streams of the colony fish-poaching was going on by means of bottles of lime or dynamite caps. Ho thought tho police should bo appealed to. Mr L. G. Reed said that the police had been instructed to stop poaching. After many members gave evidence p£ the evil results of poachers, Mr D. McGregor said tho worst poachers were tho big over-grown trout, eels, and shags. There were some streams utterly denuded of small fish by monsters that lived in deep pools, and shallowed up ©very fish not large enouglu'to look after itself. It would be in the interests of tho society to dynamite those deep pools. It was useless to liberate fry in nine-tenths of the colony’s streams —tho fish had no chance to grow up. The report and balance-sheet, a summary of which has already been published, was adopted. The following officers were elected for tho year:—President, his Excellency tho Governor; vice-presidents, Messrs George Denton and A. J. Rutherford ; council, Messrs W. H. Beethara and W. H. L. Galwoy (Wairarapa), It. C. Bruce (Rangitikoi), E. Larcomb (Palmerston North), F. O. Turner (Eke,'ahuna), J. Thomas (Pahiatua), L. G. Hoed, A. F. Lowe, F. Whitley, R. A. Holmes, L. O. H. Tripp, J. J. Esson, George Cudhy, S. Scott, and Dr Eaulko. Mr D. McGregor moved that it bo a recommendation to the new council that during its term of office vigorous efforts should bo taken to stock the Tararua range with deer. Dr Mackenzie seconded tho motion, and made tho further suggestion that the brown-hear bo introduced. That .mimal was very good sport. The motion was carried unanimously. 'Hie general meeting closed with vari- , ous votes of thanks. The chairman, in returning thanks, said that the society was flourishing, and he suggested that it should not entirely devote itself to tho acclimatisation of fish, birds, and animals, but should take into considor-

alim llio acclimatisation of useful plants.

At a mooting of the council tbo following ofltwrs v.-.c?r<> elected:—C'liaiiinan, Air L. Tripp; hori. treasurer. Air L. O. 11-ood (ro-oloctod); lion, .secretary, Air A. F. Lowe (rc-clcctcd).