ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9138, 10 June 1891, Page 4

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

The monthly meeting of the council of the Acclimatisation Society was held yesterday afternoon, and was attended by Messrs J. P. Maitland (chairman), A. 0. Begg, W. Oarlton, It. Campbell, J. Edgar, D. Russell, F. Deans (manager), G. M. Thomson, Q. M. Marshall, and W. Cnningham Smith. manager's bepobt. The Manager's monthly report was read as follows:— We are now baiy effecting repairs and alterations both at Clinton and Opoho. The brook trout have all spawned, but the other varieties of trout, and alto the salmon, have not finished. Banger Bart has obtained upwards of 120,000 ova from the fish under his care. The brown trout have not commenced to spawn yet, but, with the hopes of getting a larg»r supply in the Kurlwao again this season, Hanger Butt hßs cleared a considerable part of the best spawning ground as it was diffloult to fish with bushes. If anyone should want a consignment of ova of the Loch Leven trout, Scotch brown trout, or American brook trout the ova will be ready for transferring about the end of June. With referenoe to the growth on the gills of the fontlnalls Dr Scott has kindly consented to furnish a description of the dlnease for the purpoie of having It forwarded to America to get the opinion of the Fish Commissioner on the subject. It has been reported to me that during the season when the black swans on the Tuakltoto and Kattangitta lakei are nesting some people are In the habit of going out with boats and robbing the nests, bringing home large numbers of eggs. The blaok swan, as you are aware, are not protected, and the birds can ba shot at any season, but I think It Is to be regretted that their nests should be robbed in such a wholesale manner. For the purpose of increasing the variety of winged game on the lakes the Idea of substituting gooso eggs for swan's eggs was disoussed at a recent meeting of the society, but while this Bystem of robbing the swan's nest is carried on it would be useless attempting such a thing. I would, therefore, recommend that, II possible, steps be taken to put a stop to the robbing of swanß' nests. I think also that this Is a matter in which the settlers surrounding the lanes might take an Interest, and try by this method to establish a wild goose, so as to enable bona fide sportsmen to bag avarlttyof game. Mr Caelton remarked that the swans on the Tuakitoto and Eaitangata were looked npon by the fishermen as a nuisance, because they ate the fish for food. With regard to furnishing swans' nests with goose eggs, he thought the idea was a good one, and he suggested that the society should expend two or three pounds upon giving effect to it. The Chairman did not see how they conld protect black swans unless they had them put on the game list. On the motion of Mr Caelton, it was agreed to obtain five sittings of goose eggs to be placed in the swans' nests. PBICE OP OVA. It was resolved that the price of ova for the present season should be 20s per thousand for brown trout and for fontinalis, and 30s for Loch £even trout. The Secretary (Mr Russell) mentioned that he had received inquiries as to the prices of ova from the Reefton and West Coast societies. NATIVES' FISHER! RIGHTS. The council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society wrote to inquire whether the Otago Society would contribute towards their law expenses under the following circumstances: (1) The Maoris living at Kaiapoi some time ago set up a right to take trout, in season and out of season, from the Waimakariri and all the rivers in the South Island; (2) they make this claim under the provisions of the Treaty of Waitangi, and they allege that they have never given np or releaseo?the rights of fishery secured to them by that treaty, a contention which the sooioty's solicitor advised was not tenable; (3) at the hearing before the resident magistrate, two of the defendants were convicted and fined, and from that decision they bad proceeded by prohibition to the Supreme Court, and if defeated there would probably carry the case to the Court of Appeal; (4) the points for decision involved the determination, not only of their alleged right to take trout in season and out of season, but questions had been raised as to the power of the Governor, under " The Fisheries Conservation Act 1884," to grant licenses at all for trout fishing, or to fix license fees, together with other questions which affected very seriously all the acclimatisation societies in New Zealand; (5) the society, while willing to bear its share of the expense, had not the funds for contesting a long and expensive case, which might cost £150 or more, nor did it see that it should be called upon to fight single-handed a matter which went to the roots of all the efforts of the past by all the societies. On the motion of Mr Begg, seconded by Mr Cablton, it was resolved to contribute a sum of £10 towards the expenses of the prosecution. INTRODUCTION OF FEATHERED GAME. The Hawera Acclimatisation Society wrote suggesting that all the societies in the colony be asked to contribute such amount as their funds would permit to some one society (say the Wellington, being centrally situated), which wonld then make arrangements to procure such birds as might be deemed suitable—when received to be distributed pro rata amongst the contributing societies. It was suggested that some of the following birds might be obtained:—Some other kinds of pheasants, English partridge, English wild duck, plover, snipe, pied-wagtails, and hedge sparrows. The opinion was expressed that it wonld be useless to introduce pheasants and partridge into Otago while poisoned grain was so extensively laid, and it wbb resolved that the sooiety did not see their way to do anything in the matter. THE WATER-OF-LEITH. Mr Robert Forrest wrote suggesting that the Society should petition Government to have the bed of the Leith, from its source to the harbour, vested in the siciety for the purpose of keeping the stream free from pollution. No aotion was taken in the matter.