WAITAKI COUNTY ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 547, 1 February 1878, Page 2

WAITAKI COUNTY ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

The annual general meeting of the Waitaki Acclimatisation Society was !'eld yesterday, when Messrs. Steward (Chairman). C, S Allen. N. Fleming, J. Martin. J. Hardy, H. Aitken, O'Meagher. Connell, Dnnli.p, Herri man, T. Y. Duncan, Medlicntt, and Dr. Smith, were ores' nt. The first annual report and balance sliest were rend as follows : The Council, in presenting the first report of the Waitaki County Acclimatis-ition Society, have to state that its opera'ions have only extended over a period of six months, the'first meeting having been held on the first August. 1577, at the instance of the late Mr. James Wheatley, by whose death the cause of acclimatisation in this part of the Colony loses one of its most earnest and enthusiastic supporters. The first business of the Council was the drawing up of the rules of the Society, which were modelled on those of the Canterbury and Otago Associations, and have been submitted to the Colonial Secretary and approved and registered. It being thought advisable to secure a pi<>ce of ground for the use of the Society, application was made to the Municipal Council, which has granted a lease for 21 years at a nominal rental of a very suitable area, being part of Garden Reserve on Oamaru Creek. Application was also made to the Government for the handing to the Society of the license fees received by the County Council in respect of shooting and coursing licenses, which application was acceded to, and the amount, L 34105., paid over accordingly. The sum of LSO voted by the County Council for stocking the Waitaki and Kakanui rivers with salmon will bo handed to the Society on the arrival of the next shipment of ova, the Council of the Society having arranged with the Government for the receipt 50,000 salmon and 100,000 white fish ova on arrival of the next shipment from San Francisco, the Society's application having been too late to admit of their obtaining a portion of last shipment. For the reason referred to, namely, the late jjerifld. of tho year at which this Society commenced its operations it has been impossible to do more than make preparations for the future, but in this connection your Council draw attention with satisfaction to the fact that the parent Society of Otago has during the current months turned out in. the Kakanui Kiver 13,000 American salmon fry, the Council of the Society having, after some consideration, decided that river to be the most suitable on the East Coast for the purpose. The Council refer with satisfaction to the fa.ct that hares, pheasants, partridges, starlings, skylarks, and goldfinches have thoroughly established themselves in the district, hares and starlings especially having become so numerous that they have made arrangements for capturing a number for exchange purposes. The balance-sheet herewith shows a balance to credit of LSB Is, and the Council trust that during the year their successors will meet with large support at the hands of the publie, and that the operations of the Society will be carijed pn with increasing success.— For the Council, Henby lion, Secretary, Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December, 1877 ;—Dr.—To amount of subscriptions as per list. L2O lis; to licenses, shooting and coursing, L 34 103 ; fishing licenses, L 3 ; total, LSS. Is. Cr.— By balance forward, LSB Is. Assets. —By Bank of New Zealand, L 5 3; by cash in hand, 1.5 Is—Lsß Is,

Letters of apology were read from Messrs. Borton and M'Lennan. On the motion of Mr. Fleming, seconded by Mr. Hardy, both were adopted. Messrs. Aitken and O'Meagher having been appointed scrutineers, the following gentlemen were reinstated in the incoming Council:—Messrs. Steward, Duncan, Connell, Allen, O'Meagher, Menlove, Young, Reid, M'Lennan, Ronayne, Dunlop, D, Smith. On the motion of Mr. Fleming, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Connell, Hon. Sec. and Treasurer. The newly-elected Council then held a meeting, Mr. Steward in the chaiy ; and Messrs. N.' Fleming and Boftph were

elected supernumerary members of Council.

It was resolved _that Mr. A. Thomson, of Kakanni, be written to asking if he would consent to act as ranger in place of the late~Mr. Jasi WheatS^:' Mr. Duncan agreed to'-act for the northern part of the district if Mr. Thomson's reply is favorable, the Secretary to write to the Colonial Secretarysubmittirig those two names; .On the motion, of Mr. Cbniiellj it was resolved that the thanks of this Council be conveyed to the Dunedin Society for the steps taken by it to stock the Kakanui with salmon. After a vote of thanks to the chair, the meeting adjourned.