OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SO. CIETY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5347, 9 April 1879, Page 6

OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SO. CIETY.

The thirteenth annual meeting of this Society waa,held on the 21st of March. It was attendei by Messrs Oliver, M.H.B. (chairman), Mackerras, Hepburn, Arthur, Mason, W. C. Smith, and A. C. Begg (hon secretary). The Secretary read the following report, which was adopted :— "In prestnting the annual report for tbe past year, the Council haa much pleasure in stating thas mo3t of ita operations have, as he.etofo.-e, proved succesiful; but, as in former years, considerable damage has been dove in certain localities through the destruction of fish a .d game by unlicensed persons, and also in the clue season. Although there is reason to bel eve that this haa besu going on to s >ma extent, yet tiie Council believes that the efforts ot tbe police have been very serviceable in preventing poaching, and it would hero express its tasnk* to the police authorities for their zeal in tiiis matter.

" Tue operations of the Society for the past yeir have been very much confined to the following objects:— "Prairie Heas.—A lettsr was lately received from Captain Williams, of San Francisco, stating that he expected to forward a consignment of th-aa birds by the January mail steamer. No consignment has, however, yet arri/eJ, but it is probable they m^y still arrive this season. It appears thutthe Canterbury Society has just receive 1 afe wof these birda from America, and as they breed |veiy fast, it ia probable that they will now be established in tue Coloay. The Council, however, intenJa to try and hive one or two direct shipments from America.

"UUckGame.—ln March list the Council, in conjunction with the Waitaki County Society, despatched Mr O. Bills to Graat Buiain in order to procure aud brinj out a. supply of this valuable game bird. On his ariival in England ha was assisted in a viry energetic manner by Mr George Andre*, of Edinburgh, to whom the Society is under great obligation for his kind assistance. Mr J. A. Ewen, of Inndon, has also taken a. great interest in the matter. Through Mr Andrew's influence Bills waa enabled to Becure a large number of birda oil the estates of the Marquis of iSreaduibauo, tLe JDake of .Richmond and Gordon, aud other noblemen and gentlemen. Unfortunately it has bean found a very dimcalt task to keep the birda in good health while in confinement, and many of them have died. It is exueetid that Bills will arrive here in a few weeks from Glasgow, and it is hoped that he will be successful in landing at least a portion of the number of birda shipiei. The Council wish t j Bay that they believe Bills has done all that could bo done, aud taken the vary greatest care and trouble, and that the doubtful success of the experiment is not in any way due either to his want of skill or atteution. The Council would propose that the name of Mr George Andrew be addod to the list of honorary life members of the Society. " Deer.—Tue red deor turned out at Busby Park ate now reported by Mr P. D. Kith to number 46 heid. It ha? been decided, in order tj spread them over the country, that an effort sho.ild be made to drive a port'on of them across the Siaj Valley to the Horse Ranges; so that they may fiod their way towards the Kakanui Mountaios, where they will breei aud multiply undisturbed. " Browa Trout.—During the season about 30,000 ova were procured by Mr Deans from spawning fish taken from the Wat^r-of-Leith. Most of these were hatched out at the Society's ponds, aud have been distributed in the rivers of Otigo. 3000 ova were sent to the Auckland Society, and 3000 to the Blenheim Society. Tbe fisbingf eason thisyear ext e-ir's from Ist October, 1878, to 31st March, 1879, except in the Waterof.Jjeith, where it extended from l>t November to 31st January. The number of fishii.g licenses Usued up to 31st December has been 143. and the Council is glad to say that good fUhinfr has this seas m been got in many streams not formerly available. In the Lee Stream, Deep Stream, Water-of-Leith, WaiUti, Silver - streim, Shag, Kaihiku, Waiwera, Kuriwao, ami Manuherikia gooi baskets have frequency b-eu male, and it is fully expected that in these and many other streams in Otago the fishing next Feason will be as good as in any part of the worl-J.

" Perch.—A number of these fish have been procure 1 in tin Duaelin Keservoir, and forwarded to various parti of the proviace. " Whitefish.—ln February last (1878) the Colonial Government handei to thia Society a p irtion of a shipment of whitefiah ova imported from America, but although a fe» hundreds of rish were hatched out, they all died before they could be Euccesifully liberated. It was expected that tbia season a further shipment would be received, and all necessary preparations were mada to receive them at Lake Wakatipu, where the Society has a suitable piece of land for the purpose. They did not arrive as expected, and the Government have aB yet got no explanation of the reasons why they were not shipped. It is just possible they may arrive by next San 'Francisco steamer. "The shooting season for pheasants, Californian quail, and haras extended from Ist Juno to 31st July, and the season for coursing hore3 from Ist May to 31st July. The following number of licenses was taken out: — " Shooting pheasants and Californian quail ... ... ... 109 Shooting haras ... ... ... 22 Coursing hares ... ... ... 52 "It is stated that the pheasants were not so plen! iful as in former seasons. "It is gratifying to be able to siy that starling*, larks, and other sorts of Brit:sh songbirds are rapidly pprfaiing to the most remote par.'s of the province, and that great benefit has been derived by farmers from the large distraction of iußect pests cffeDted by them. " Tiie statement of receipts and expenditure shows that the Society's fund* are in a satisfactory position. The Council would once more express a. hope that the efforts of the Society may bo seconded and assisted by the puUiu as much as possible. Without the corporation of the landed proprietors and the public generally, especially in the protection and preservation of fish and game from unlawful des'ruction, the efforts of the Society will be comparatively thrown away. " The Council cannot close its report without I exprefs'n^ its hi^h opinion of the Bervicea ren- ] dered by the manager, Mr Francis Deans, during this and pr. ca ting years. To him belongs tnobt of thi credit of having ao quickly aid fucccsffully stocked with trout nearly a'l the riv»rs and likes of Otago; and also the Bncces-ful way in which nearly all the Society's operations hsvo been carried out. Th« Council would recommend that a sum of LSO be voted to Mr Deans as a bonus for the very satisfactory way iv which he has carried out the objects of the Society. "Alex. C. Begg, Hon. Sec." The financial statement, which was also adopted, frhowed that the Society had in hand at the prenent time the sum of LIOB9 9s lOd. The expenditure for the year has been L 423 l'!s 4d; and the receipts from lirenpes JAT7 15s, and frrm subscriptions 1,120 5j 6J; — total, LS9S 0a Od. Mr Mason reported that a branch Society had been formed at Queen-town. He »aid no fishing had yt;t been dor.c in the district, hue all the bio its in the neig ibourhood of Queens town seemed to be well soaked. There was an abundance of quiil there too. The yonng quail rose from tLe groun-1 tverywhsre th-^ pc p!e wa'k-d or roe. Tue Chaiuman : I have no doubt that the Olajo So iity will I.c very hapr.y to avail itself of th.3 a^istanee of the Queenatown Society.—(Hear, hear.) The f. Ilowiug gentlemen were appointed to r present llie Council tor the ensuing year:— President, Allan Hoim s,Esq.; vicj- president, .T. P. Mait'aa.l, E-q ; treasurer, Heury Tews--1-y, E-n. ; secretary, AY. Arthur, lin.\. Committse: to.vnmc:nb rj—Mes<rs W. H f pborn, F. O. Fulton, H. Howortli, \V~. C. Smith, T. Brydon-, P. O. Neill. G. L Sine, K. Oliver. A."BatVat<', J. H. HarrN. F. R. Chapman, J. T. Alackcrras, .1. A. Council, and A C. B^gi,' ; country members—Messrs J. Fulton (W s. Tai.ri), J. Shay (Fin»KanJ), X Cam, - bell (Kaihi'.-i), J. S. Wo.thiusjton (Que intown), J. W. Murdoch (Waikouaiti), 1\ F. S ..d.lart (Kaitan,>ata), W. ilsieon (Queenstuwii), Blair F.illarton (Ple.isint Valley). A vote of thanks was noeorde 1 to ill- Be.-g. the retiring «cc et .ry. for the vary valuable services he had rendered o:\ behalf of the -Society.