OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13187, 21 January 1905, Page 2

OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

All ordinary meeting of the Council ol llio Olngo Acclimatisatioii Society was held yesteday afternoon; pesciit—Messrs K. Cliwholm (chairman); Forrest, Sinclair Thomson, S. M'Donald, A. ]{. Farquhar, ami Dr H. h. tie Lantour. A.pologies for absence were received from Messrs' R. T. Wheeler and D. Barron. The Chairman, reported that the total number of fry turned out for the senson was 1.191,000, tho largest number ever turned out hy Uie society, and the yearlings totalled C 650, and it was estimated that one yearling was worth a dozen fry. The society's manager, Mr F, Deans reported that the distribution of young fish was nearly finished; the work had been somewhat retarded by the inclement- weather. Mr Stevens had reported the heaviest tlooc) he had known at Clinton hatchery, hut the only damage caused was to some fencing. From Mr Stevens's report it would' l>e ascertained that the aggregate niimlwre of fry and yearlings turned out from the Clinton hatchery were 850,000 and 6750 respectively, and from the Opoho hatchery 341,000 fry JJjU® yearlings; this did not include 22,000 fry received from Clinton. Ho (Mr Deans) wished to call attention to the assistance renderotl by several gentlemen, notably so Mr M'Connoehie. who supnlied men and horses in distributing a largo number of fish in Dunafcan Crook and the Manuherikia: also Messrs Tyndall and Wynil, of Lawrence, and others, and he (Mr Deans) had 110 doubt Mr Stev-sns had met with similar kindnesses in his district,'—Approved. Mr Stevens, of the Clinton hatchery, reported that fry had -been liberated as follows, leaving about 20.000 still on hand:firown trout, 613,000; Scotch Irani, 101,000; Loch Leven, 97,000; rainbow, 34,000; and salmon, 5000; and yearlings as follow;— Rainbow, 2300; Loch Leven, 2100; brown trout, 600; Scotch burn. 550; and salmon, 1200. Brown trout fry were less than lie had estimated owing to the unsatisfactory condition of the hatchery in which they wore wared—Approved.—Mr Deans was instructed to report on the matter of mortality amongst; the fry at Clinton hatchery. The Marine Department wrote stating that it wail obtaining a consignment from America of salmon and wbitefisli ova, which was expected to arrive at Hakats.ramra and Lake Tekapo about February 4. As the manager of t.ho hatchery at Ilakataraniea would be required to go to Lake Tekapo with the wbitefisli eggs, it would bo necessary to arrange for an expert fisli curator to supervise the unpac'iing of the ova at Ilakataramea, and the department requested that Mr.]>.ans miftht be permitted by the society to assist the department in this matter at Hakatarame-a as formerly.—lt was agreed to allow Mr Deans to proceed to Hakahrame.i on the same arrangements as before.. The Chairman said he thought that, perhaps, rather more attention was paid at .the marine fish hatchery to the scientifio side than to the practical side. The fact nhould not. bo lost sight of that the money was voted by the Government to be turned to prao'ical account. On the motion of Mr Sinclair Thomson it was resolved to communicate with various shipping companies to ascertain oil what terms they would assist the society in importing lobster and other'ova. jlr Cliisliolm said lie thought of going Home to the Old Country in about two months, and while there, if he could find time, and he thought he could, to go into this matter with people at Home—("Hear, heal'"),—ant) if .anything was deoided upon he would do his bent to have the arrangements carried out succo-sfully. Mr Forrest proposed that; a. Ixmus of £2 10s lift given to the person responsible for the care of t.ho lolifitere on the voyage out for each healthy lobster up to 20 landed at the marine hatchery,—This. was added to Mr Sinclair Thomson's motion, and carried. The Tnpanni Anglers' Society wrote asking the Acclimatisation Society for » grunt of £2 10s towards the cost, of fencing in three acrcs around tlio Ranlcleburn lint, for the purpose of keeping in liorses.—Mr Ohrchnlm said the matter of putting up a few barbed wires to keep in horses should surely bo a matter for the local people. , lOvrry appliance was provider! at tho lints for the convenience of angler,?.—The loiter was received, and referred to tho executive. \V. Qnin. Tapanui, wroto asking if tho society could procure a- few hares to stock a swamp area of country iu his district.— It was decided to refer the letter to the executive. The Chairman reported that lio had been waited upon by Mr A. C. Iverscn, of Alexandra, who reported that small birds were k'comimr a great, pest to tlio orcliardists in Central Otago, and lie (Mr Ivorsen) suggretrd the importation of English owk—Mr Ghisholm said if the society imported-owls they would require to lie well protected for a few years.—lt was resolvwl to . refer tho matter to Mr Becg and Mt Cliisliolm to make inquiries at Homo. The season for 'allow deer shooting was fixed at. as formerly, from March 15 to tho end of April.* and the red deer season from April 1 to lb" end of May. It was resolved to write to tho Marine Department urging that, tho waters in tlio upper harbour at Dunedin should be declared a fish sanctuary, and that all netting should be prohibited therein. — Messrs Armstrong, "Wliitworth. and Co. bavo built a small train, specially for a millionaire. to take round decanters and pilars after dinner. The little "ngine, over which two dolls in blue overalls preside, is constructed' of silver-plated conper in miniature reproduction of a Great Western locomotive. The tender is stacked with coals from lb" millionaire-'* own coal mine. When the millionaire touches a button the train starts. It runs quite slowly round the track, and when a guest picks up a decanter the current is broken, and the train stops till lie replaces it. The total length of tho train, which is driven hy electricity, is over sft., and the track is constructed for a.2oft table.