ACCLIMATISATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11224, 1 June 1922, Page 2

ACCLIMATISATION

MEETINC OF SOCIETY MATTERS DISCUSSED AT ANNUAL GATHERING. SPORT IN NEW ZEALAND. The thirty-seventh annual meeting of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society was held at the Chamber of Commerce 'last night, the president (Mr L. O. H. Tripp) presiding over a large attendance of members. CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS. IMPROVED FINANCES. In moving the adoption of the annua! report and balance-sheet, already summarised in the “Times," the chairman thanked the society for electing him president last year while ho was in the Oild Country.' He had been, he remarked, a member of the council of the society for twenty-one years, and chairman of the council for fifteen or sixteen years. The society had been handicapped for many years by lack of a sufficient revenue, but he was glad to see from the report that the revenue was now greatly increasing. While at Home he had been much struck by the large sum which sportsmen had to pay for the U6e of fishing at Home. It cost them much less to come out to New Zealand for their sport; and he emphasised the need for a reliable sportsman’s guide, showing the best streams for fishing, and tho sport to be obtained in them. He urged that the fisheries in -New Zealand should be under one department, not two, as at present —the Marine and the Tourist Departments; and he spoke of the need for the employment of an expert who understood and could greatly increase the food supply for fish. lie referred also to the need lor providing a better food supply for native birds; that was the essence of tho problem. lie stressed the value of tho water-conservation work of the forest service, the preservation of the forests preventing the sudden flooding of rivers and their silting up with sand and shingle. He congratulated the society on its credit balance, this year of .£125 very satisfactory showing as compared with many, past years. A VEXED QUESTION.

Referring to the : stocking of the streams with fish, he stated that there had heen much controversy as to the advisability of stocking with fry or with yearlings. He had consulted Professor Prince, of Canada, on the subject, and ho had said that New Zealand was doing the right thing in putting out both fry and yearlings. He dealt with the need for increased activity in putting down vermin, such as hawks, stoats and weasels, and not forgetting the hedgehog. Many people thought that the hedgehog did good by eating tho slugs in the garden, but it would also eat eggs and chickens. In Canterbury it was reported that the hedgehog had completely driven out the weka. Referring to deerstalking, he stated that in tho district that he had been out in there were far too many deer. He had counted between seventy and eighty deer in one paddock. This showed the necessity for shooting the old hinds and the bail stags, a matter that the new council would have to take inlo consideration.

He complimented the society’s ranger (Mr P. W. Wilsoni and the curator of the fish hatcheries (Mr J. U. Miller) on

the very excellent work they had done during the year, and heartily thanked the hon. rangers for their services. SOME USEFUL HINTS. ; *... Mr J. F. Dyer, who seconded, 'also urged the necessity for shooting hawks, stoats and weasels; but warned sportsmen that in rabbit-infested districts these classes of vermin were protected. In other acclimatisation districts he mentioned attempts were being made to put goose eggs in swan’s nests, and thus secure wild geese. Canadian wild geese had also been imported. Wild geese gave excellent sport. They were hard to shoot; and he suggested that the Wellington society should take action in the same direction. They; would be splendid on the Wairarapa Lake. He deferred in high terms -to the gTeat work done by the secretary to the society (Mr C. I. Dasent), whom he described as the “grand old man of acclimatisation’’ in New Zealand. Mr O’Meara (Carterton) congratulated the society on issuing a pound license for both, native and imported game. He thought it was a fine move in the right direction. The report was adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Officers for* the ensuing year were elected as under Patron, His Excellency the Governor-General; vice-presi-dents, Messrs W. H. Beetham A. J. Rutherford, L. G. Reid, B. Riddiford, and A. F. Lowe; council, Messrs Tripp, E. J. C. Wiflin, J. S. Fleming, F. Whitley, Anson A. Seed, I. A. McKay, S. G. Nathan, and L. Powell; auditor, Mr W. S. Wheeler. The president will be selected later by the council.