DYNAMITING OF LEITH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23202, 28 May 1937, Page 5

DYNAMITING OF LEITH

■:; "A DASTARDLY/ ACT" LOCAL ANGLERS EXONERATED The dynamiting of a pool in the Leith a few-days ago was the, subject of a brisk discussion, at a meeting of the council" of the Otago Acclimatisation Society- last night, strong exception being taken to the suggestion that any anglers had been implicated in the occurrence. The society's ranger (Mr F. David) reported that on May 18 he had received advice that the St. David street hole in the Leith had been blown up, and two days later was informed by a nearby resident that he had heard two explosions at about 9 p.m. on May JB, and had seen two men get into a motor car and drive rapidly away. He subsequently netted'the St. David street hole, and caught 'lß' trout. On May 22 he netted the hole again and caught a number of trout which had been injured internally, convincing him that the hole had been blown up. As the river was too high for dead fish to be recovered, he was of the opinion that it was a spiteful action on the part of whoever threw in the explosives. The chairman said it was a dastardly business when dynamite was used, particularly in the precincts of a city. Members stated that all the fish in ' the ' vicinity of the explosion would probably die. The internal injuries shown by the fish indicated that they had been severely damaged. Mr S. F. Aburn said that it would appear from a letter which had been published in the press that the Tomahawk anglers considered that they had been blamed for damaging the fish. ;

Mr C. A. Wilson said they should dissociate ;ail, anglers from any sugthe sorts Members 6f i the council wiere b£ing,blam'*!d for crieatthat" disgruntled anglers jfKerc responsible for the destruction of the.iflsh.,/, ■ ; ;p/'; v

; The ; fpll6wing resblutioti Wasvearried; unaniriiouf ly :-~". That: the. council 'disappriciiveSvof ,the part' pf a- statement-which appeared in-the to Hhe "destruction of trout in the Leith applying to any anglers." It was then resolved that a reward of £lO be offered for any information which would lead to the conviction of the person or persons responsible for the destruction of trout in the Leith by means of explosives.