ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 853, 4 April 1868, Page 9

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

The annual meeting oi' the Otago Acclimatisation Society, was held on Tuesday afternoon, in Farley's Hall, princes street. — There were present Capt. Boyd ; Messrs A. Carrick, A. Eccles, J. A. Ewen, R. B. Martin, G. Matthews, F. J. Moss, W. D. Murison, M.H.R. B. Oliver, W. H. Reynolds, M.P.C., M,H.R. J. Vogel, M.P.C., M.H.B. J. S. W«bb, and G. P. Clifford, manager.

Mr Reynolds was called to the chair; ■and he read the advertisement convening the meeting. > Mr Clifford read the following report :—: —

The Council of the Otago Acclimatisation Society, in laying before the members the Fourth Annual Keport, confidently hope that it will be seen that, during the past year, tne Society have been succebsful in achieving some of the main objects to be attained The balance-sheet, duly audited, which is submitted, shows that the advancement of the Society will require the reuewed exertions of those interested in the cause. The income from all sources, including last year's balance, LBO7 3s 4d, amounts to L 1348 6s 4d. The expenditure for the year amounts to Ll2Bl 7s 3d, leaving a balance of L 66 19s Id. which balance has been required for expenses on the shipment of birds «x Warrior ■Queen.

It will be seen that the sum of Ll5O is included under the head "Introduction of Fish," this sum being a donation from the Society to the Tasmanian Salmon Commission ; and although no direct advantage was gained by the expenditure, still the Council anticipate great ultimate advantage. The two items, also "Improvements on. Grounds," and "Fencing," embrace the supplying water to and protection, to breeding ponds. At the commencement of last year, ike Council forwarded to England orders for two •shipments of birds, which the agents at Home amalgamated, thinking to save expense. The birds arrived in the Warrior "Queen, and may be confidently asserted to he one of, if not the most successful shipments ever imported into any of the Australasian Colonies. With the exception of such "birds as are unfit to turn out, the whole liave been distributed in various parts of the Province.

In addition ,to the above shipment, the Council have received as donations, blackbirds, thrushes, larks, linnets, goldfinches, hares, Victorian plover, and land-rail, all of which have been liberated.

The Council hav-e received information that etock liberated last year, as well as some of the last importation, are doing well and increasing. Such also is known to be the case at the Society's Grounds. There is therefore reason to hope that many of -fche English birds are now fairly established in the Province.

During the year, hares have been liberated at Waipori, and fallow deer at Morven - and it is satisfactory to know that they are doing

lnthe last report the Council stated that they had made arrangements with the Southland Society to share the expense of introducing trout, the Southland Society conducting the experiment. They have now to state that the arrangement was never carried ■out, as the Southland Society were unable to «btain ova as expected. The Council, however, entered into arrangements with the Canterbury Society to allow- their manager, Mr Johnston, who went to Tasmania for trout ova for them, to bring over some for the Otago Society. Four hundred ova were brought ; but from the fact that they were spawned and partiallj aacubated some sime before being shipped,

*that the, passage from Tasmania to Mel.bourne was in a steamer, 'and unusually rough, and thai; they were detained' in Melbourne, necessitating their being placed in the ice-house for a week, the experiment was a failure. The above circumstances combined lead jto the belief that the ova was dead before its arrival, although every care was bestowed on it during its passage. The Council, however, hope that, by obtaining ova direct, and by sailing vessel, the chance of failure will be materially lessened. _ With regard to the salmon, it was impossible to obtain any ova from Tasmania during the year, as the Salmon Commissioners have »failed to capture any of the liberated fish ; and as the Provincial Go-

vermnent have forwarded an order to England for salmon ova, and are about to undertake the management themselves, your Council are anxious to see the result of the Government experiment, as it may be of the greatest value as regards future operations. The Council have received advices from their Agent, in London, to the effect that live carp, tench, gudgeon., and perch, together with, trout ova, have been, shipped by the same vessel that brings the salmon ova for the Government, and it is confidently hoped that the incubation of the latter may be a success. The Council have to acknowledge a most donation of salmon ova, in all its stages of incubation, presented by Frank Buckland, Esq., London. During the year the following stock have been liberated in various parts of the Province :—: —

3 hares, 4 fallow deer, 4 black swans, 3 white swans, 6 pheasants, 3 Australian quail. 39 blackbirds, 49 thrushes, 81 starlings, 35 larks. 18 hedge sparrows, 27 chaffinches, 30 goldfinches, S greenfinches. IS linnets, 10 redpolls, S yellowhammers, 3 honse sparrows. 2 mountain sparrows, 20 Australian magpies, 2 Australian plover, 2 Australian land rails, 6 A ostralian bronze- wing pigeons. Native birds have been forwarded to England, Victoria, and Tasmania.

A large quantity of Dorking and Polish fowls eggs have been sold.

A number of imported seeds have been distributed amongst the members, and native seeds and plants have been sent from the

Province. The following stock is now on the grounds of the Society :—: — Axis deer, kangaroo, emus, black swans, English wild duck, Paradise duck, teal, blackbirds, thrushes, missel thrashes, chaffinches, linnets, ring doves, Dorking and Polish fowls, common and silver-grey rabbits, tench, goldfish.

Various improvements have been made oa the grounds : such as fencing, in the ponds for water-fowl and fish, and forming a deer paddock. Water has been laid on from the Water of Leith for the water-fowl and fish ■breeding, and extra aviaries have been erected.

The Council regret to state, tliat during the late floods, the grounds of the Society suffered damage by having portions of fencing carried away, together with the footbridge over the creek, and injury being done to the water supply. In accordance with Rule 11, your Council have elected Mrs C. Bunbury. of Dunedin, a Life Member of the Society, for the donation of _ English birds ; Captain Logan, of the William Davie, for assistance rendered to Mrs Bunbury in bringing birds from England ; Thomas Austin, Esq., Barwon Park, Geelonor. for his d<- 't ; f h

_, jIl .onation Oi ares ; F. J. Sargood, Esq., London, and "W. C. Young, Esq., Dunedin, for services rendered in the shipment of birds for the Society. The Council would draw the attention of country settlers to the great assistance they can render the Society, by the destruction of hawks and wild cats, they being the great drawbacks to successful acclimatisation.

Mr Clifford also read the accounts. The following are the principal items only :— Balance from last year, LBO7 3s 4d ; subscriptions, Llls 13s ; donations, LB4 17s 6d ; Government subsidy, L 250 ; sale of stock, L 32 4s ; grazing fees, L 37 15s ; interest, L2O 13s 6d ; due to Bank, LlB3 15s sdt total, L 1532 Is 9d.— Purchase of stock, including food, carriage, and attendance, L 550 15s 9d ; introduction of fish, LlB3 5s 8d ; improvements in grounds, L 65 6s lOd ; wages, L 306 16s ; tencing, Lllß lls 4d ; deposit at interest, L2OO ; in the hands of the Hon. Secretary, LSO 12s 6d. On the motion of Mr Martin, seconded by Mr Matthews, the report was adopted.

Mr Oliver, after some conversation, moved, " That the Secretary be instructed to write to His Excellency, Sir George Bowen, asking him to consent to become a Patron of the Society, with Sir George Grey ; and that the Secretary also write a similar letter to His Honor, the Superintendent."

The election of a Council for the year was proceeded with ; the number of members being 24, instead of 18, an alteration to that effect, in the Rules, having been made since the previous annual meeting. The following were elected ; the names of those who were not members of the late Council, are in italics :—: —

President: W. D. Murison, M.H.R. Vice-president : J. Vogel, M.P.C.,

Committee : Town— Capt. Boyd; R. S. Canfrell, A. Eccles, J. A. Ewen, F. Fulton, T. M. Hocken, a. Matthews, F. J, Moss, G. L. Sise, J. T. Thomson, G. K.

TwUm,an& T. B. Ulph.— Country : W ! Black, W., Mason, J. W. Murdoch, G. Murray, F. S. Pillans, F. D. Rich, Watson Sherman, and W. A. Young. Hon. Treasurer : iv Oliver.

Hon. Secretary : A. Carrick. Thanks were voted to Mr Mieville, the late Honorary Treasurer, who is about to leave the Colony.

THE SOCIETY'S GROUNDS.

Mr Murison moved —

That this meeting approves of a scheme having for its basis the* disposal of the Society's Grounds to the Provincial Government, in consideration of the sum of LIOQO being paid to the Society within the next two years, and if, during that time, the subscriptions from the public should amount in aU to LSOO, a like Bum of LSOO to be paid on the third year. The meeting also expresses its willingness to leave the arrangement of all the details of this scheme in the hands of the newly- elected Council." He thought the meeting would agree, from the nature of this proposal, that it would not be necessary to go into lengthesed discussion ; but that if the proposal was approved of generally, the arrangement of details might well be left to the newly-elected Council. As one who had been connected with the Society from its commencement, he gave it as his opinion, that unless some such scheme as that now proposed was adopted, the Society would hardly be able to carry through— at least, not in a way that could "be consinered successful— the acclimatisation of valuable animals, birds, &c. The funds derived from public subscriptions were exceedingly small — barely sufficient to keep the grounds in repair, to maintain the fencing, and to pay the salaries of the officers employed. Of course, the money to be received from the Government under the new scheme would be entirely devoted to the importation of animals, &c. Mr Bills had left in the hands of the Manager a statement of the prices at which lie would be willing to undertake to land birds here ; and to have an arrangement with Mr Bills would be better for the Society than the plan adopted hitherto. With three years' income such as that involved in the new scheme, and birds landed at the prices stated by Mr Bills, the work of the Society would be very nearly completed — or, rather, after the three years, public subscriptions would no doubt be sufficient for the work that would remain to be done.

Mr Cabrick seconded the motion. He advocated the scheme entirely on financial grounds. At present, the Society had to its credit L 173 5s 7d, after taking credit for L 250, which was to he that day paid from the Treasury. Adding the subscriptions, -which had never, except in one year, exceeded L 250, there would be about L 370 for the expenses of the next twelve months ; and one-half of that sum would be swallowed up by imme diate requirements. So, unless the Government could be got to continue its assistance, the Society must come to an end. If the Committee knew that, for a certain time to come, th.py had a reliable income, they could do far more than could possibly be done with a precarious income, ft had been said that the Society did very little until within the last twelve months ; but it should Ye remembered that it was only about twelve months ago that, through the assistance of the Government, the Committee found themselves able to do any real good. If the proposed scheme was left to the ne«- Council, and they found that they could not make arrangements beneficial to the Society, the Council could, of course, bring up a report to that effect to the members.

Mr Eccies did not see his way to handing over the grounds to the Government ; and he should like to be assured that the Government could possibly guarantee the payment of the money which was to be the consideration for the Society giving up the Grounds. He had heard that the Grounds were wanted for Botanical Gardens. He agreed that the Grounds would be admirably suited for a Botanical Garden ; but he would remind members that acclimatisation, properly understo3d, regarded trees and plants quite as much as t irds and animals ; and it would be an excellent thing if the Society was enabled to do its proper work fully. Without deciding who was to blame for the fact, it was a fact that the so-called Botanical Gardens were a disgrace to the Province ; and he was opposed to the Acclimatisation Society's Grounds being handed over to the Government, for anything like a continuation of such a sham as the Botanical Gardens now were. He would move a negative to the proposition now before the meeting, unless some explanation was given of what was really intended by the motion.

Mr VoGEii thought that Mr Eccles's objections would be a guarantee to the Society tha*, he, as a member of the new Council, would look very narrowly into the proposed scheme, before any arrangement was completed. Most of Mr Eecles'tf objections related to details, which it would be the duty of the Council

to discuss; and at the *opt of, all tfee -objections there seemed to be the"'question, V Wha^will the Society be entitled to, if it gives. up the Grounds?" As a member of the Society — and he had been so from its commencement—he (Mr Vogel) would 1 urge that, even apart from any "question of a money payment, such an arrangement as that now proposed shpuld be acceded to. The possession of the Grounds had always seemed to him to be an obstacle in the way of the Society's success — to supply a temptation to keep birds and animals in the Grounds, instead of turning them out at the earliest possible time, and so enlisting the sympathies of the country settlers in favorof the Society. He thought that the Society would save a great deal in salaries and expenses, by the proposed change ; and that all the funds it obtained would be applied to the real purposes of acclimatisation. From a pcr 7 haps not perfect abstract of the accounts since the formation of the Society, he found that, while the subscriptions had amounted to L9SQ, the amount -of Government grants had been L 1350, apart from L4OO more up to the present date. Mr Eocles : The grants ought to exceed the subscriptions. They ought to be five times as great. Capt. Boyd : In 1866, the subscriptions in Melbourne amounted to L 350 ; and the Government gave L 2250. Mr Vogel : The Mcli ourne Society was on a very different footing to this Society ; and the Melbourne Society was not nearly as popular as it might have been, or, indeed, as it had been. He was sure, from the accounts, that under the proposed arrangement, while the Society would have all the use of the Grounds it really needed, heavy expenses, not for acclimatisation purposes proper, would be greatly reduced, or would disappear. He was certain that if a real Botanical Garden was formed, the Government would be able to give most valuable assistance; and he believed that, under the resolution now before the meeting, a scheme might be matured which would be beneficial to the Society, and which would promote the formation of as good and pretty Gardens as any in the Colony. Mr Webb said that his objection to the motion went to the very ground of the proposed change. He believed that there was no other public body that had worked with the same enthusiasm as the Council of the Acclimatisation Society; and he believed, also, that nothing in the Province had been so completely mismanaged as the Botanical Gardens. He demurred to the Government being charged with anything connected with the scientific culture of the community; and instead of the proposed scheme, he should vastly prefer to see the Acclimatisation Society supplied with funds to enable it to establish and continue Gardens that could really be called " Botanical." On behalf of himself, and of other members, he must protest against a sacrifice of the interests of the Acclimatisation Society in favor of Governmentally controlled Gardens. Mr Murison said that as it seemed to be desired to leave the principle of the proposed arrangement to the newlyelected Council, he would modify his motion, so that it should stand — " That this meeting having before it a scheme, &c ; the meeting expresses its willingness to leave the scheme in the hands of the newly-elected Council."

Mr Matthews believed that a better site for Botanical Gardens than that now proposed could not be found about Dunedin. He had had his eye on it for the last 18 years. Mr Matthews proceeded to discuss the state of the existing Botanical Gardens ; but

Tne Chairman said that he must confine discussion to something near the terms of the motion, which did not refer to Botanical Gardens.

Mr Moss said that his difficulty was to understand the proposal that -was made. If it depended upon the Provincial Council voting LSOO a year for three years, he thought there was considerable doubt about the whole affair. The Botanical Gardens had been discussed for years ; and when the Council voted the last grant, it was on the distinct understanding "that it was to be the last— that the Government were to abandon all connection with the Gardens. Although the Council might be liberal, if there was plenty of money, he was sure that a Botanical Gardens vote would be the first to be stopped, when any pressure came. He was inclined to move an addition to the motion, to the effect that the Council, after considering the subject, should report to a general meeting of the Society. Mr Murison would prefer to have the motion negatived. There must be prompt action, if anything was to be done, seeing that the Provincial Council was about to meet; the present meeting was almost wholly one of members of the new Council ; and to call another general meeting would be useless.

After some discussion, Mr Murison's motion, as modified, was put, and was agreed to.