ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25240, 1 June 1943, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the Otago Acclimatisation Society was held last night. The president (Mr A. Digby Smith) occupied the chair, and there was a good attendance of members. Moving the adoption of the annual report and balance sheet, the chairman said that despite a reduction in revenue the results of the year’s working had been very satisfactory.. The income of the society had been reduced byr£l32s 11s 4d, compared with the previous year, but the number of part-time rangers and the permanent staff had also been reduced, so that expenditure was lower than last year. The greater part of the year’s deficiency had been accounted for by the fact that there had been no open season for game, so that no revenue had been obtained from that source. In 1941 £916 Os 9d had been obtained. The number of fishing licences taken out this year had exceeded all expectations, and the revenue gained was only £74 less than In the previous year. During the year, the chairman continued, the society had been faced with two major problems. The first was the abandonment of the shooting season by the War Cabinet. This year, of course, there had been a short open season. The second problem had been the mild winter, which had caused the Leith to be so low that the main run of sea trout had not come up. Several members of the council covered various aspects of the society’s work during the year, and in the discussion which followed, emphasis was laid on the need for the destruction of eels, shags, and vermin, which were causing heavy losses among game and fish. Mr A. Digby Smith was re-elected president, and Mr S, F. Aburn vice-president. Four retiring members of the council — Messrs G. Porter, C. A. Wilson, R. Fountain, and Dr C. M. Greenslade—were reelected. and Mr J. Stoddard was added to the council to fill one vacancy. Messrs Brodrick and Chalmer were reappointed auditors.