ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 865, 27 June 1868, Page 11

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

An adjourned meeting of the Council of the Acclimatisation Society was held on Tuesday last, in the room beneath the Athenaeum. Mr "W. D. Murison was in the chair, and there were present — Messrs Carriek, Eccles, Cantrell, TJlph, Ewen, Matthews, Capt. Boyd, and Mr Clifford (manager).

The Chairman said the object of the meeting was to discuss certain propositions of the Government in regard to the grounds of the Society. He had received a letter from the Provincial Secretary, asking for an interview to discuss the resolutions, but he had replied that he possessed no authority by which he could so act. He had promised that he would bring the matter before the Council as speedily as possible, and it was now for the Council whether they would accept the resolutions or not. The resolutions were as follow :—: —

Ist. That it is desirable the grounds at present occupied by the Acclimatisation .Society should be used for a .Botanical Garden, and the Government are hereby recommended to enter into an arrangement vvith the Society upon the basis recommended in the Report of the Select Committee on Botanical Gardens, viz : — That the Society give up all their interest in the ground, upon condition that the Government undertake to give them such accommodation within the grounds as they may require for acclimatisation pu' poses, and if it is required, from time to time to shift the buildings, erections, &c. used by the Society, from one part of the ground to another, such removal to be effected at the expense of the Government The Government to undertake to pay to the Society during the present year, L 2 for every LI raised by private subscription, the money to be expended on bona fide acclimatisation purposes, viz. in introduction of stock.

i jj2sd..,That ifeis^pjrablftlih^jg^gflfr'Botanical Gardens .should be divided, aiid disposed* of for building purposes.- ) . V,,,. „ I 3rd. f .That it in, desirable.,th.at t]iere. should ■be a f Government,- House, in ••Dunedin, arifl, that it should be erected on part of the land proposed to be secured from the Acclimatisation Society ; the Botanical Garden to be carried on as a Government Domain in connection with the private grounds of Government House. 4th. That a sum of L 3500 should be placed on the Supplementary Estimates for thq purpose of the last Resolution ; the expenditure to be contingent upon a portion of the money being raised by. the disposal of the present Botanical Gardens. , The Secretary (Mr Cdrrick) read a number of letters showing how the Society had obtained possession of the Grounds, Mr Eccles thought that though the resolution of the Provincial Council Baid that the grounds were granted for a limited period, the letter of the Provincial Secretary gave the title, and that title was illimitable. The Government could not expect the Society to give up the grounds ■without being compensated for the improvements. A discussion ensued, after which Mr Ewen proposed, and Captain Boyd seconded, a motion to the effect — " That the Society would consent to give up all interest in the grounds, upon the Government consenting to give compensation for the improvements upon them ; and also undertake to pay the Society during thepresent year, L 2 for every LI raised by subscription ; the money to be expended on bona fide acclimatisation purposes, viz : the introduction of stock." It was agreed that, if possible, arrangements should be made for a meeting with the Executive to-day. The Secret vuy (Mr Carrick) read the following letter from Mr Daubin, respecting the arrangements for the reception of the trout ova at Captain Boyd's. Waiwera Ponds, Juno 18th, 1868. Sir— T beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated the 2Cth May, as to the arrangements made by the Society for hatching the ova. I regret I cannot express h an opinion on the subject. F was there for a few minutes only, atid saw the ova by candle light ; I never examined the boxes, or how the water, was brought to supply them ; but I thought th« j situation unfavorable for the experiment. — I have, Sec, H. Dawbik. i To A. Carrick, Esq. j The letter was received.