ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 890, 19 December 1868, Page 7

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

The usual weekly meeting of the Council of the Acclimatisation Society was held at the Atheneoum on the 10th instant. W. D. Murison, Esq., the Chairman of the Society, presided. There were also present, Capt. Boyd, and Messrs Eccles, Carrick, and G. K. Turton. manageb's kepobt. The Manager reported that during the week 12 young wild ducks had been born ; the pond had been finished, and the trout put in. He regretted to have to state that three of the trout had been lost through the grating. Steps, however, had been taken to prevent the escape of any more. GAME BIBDS. i Mr Carrick called attention to the! fact that a communication had recently been, sent to the Canterbury Society by Captain Holt, of Christchurch, offering English pheasant and Californian quaS for sale. That society had not been in a position to purchase, and he thought it would be advisable for him to write to Capt. Holt, and ascertain from him on what terms he would be willing to dispose of the game referred to. After a short discussion it was agreed unanimously that Mr Carrick should send a communication to Capt, Holt on the subject. The Chairman said he thought some steps should be taken for the purpose of bringing birds from home, particularly as the Council had recently received a further grant of money from the Provincial | Council. Mr Ewen who was now in England, might be communicated with, : and a sum placed in his hands, which he could lay out from time to time, for the benefit of the Society. He had no doubt that Mr Ewen would be very glad to act as agent for the Society. In reply to Mr Ecuies, Mr Cakuici; said that an agreement had been entered into with Mr Bills, by which the Council agreed to take certain birds from him on delivery, at certain prices. He had received no communication from him which would lead to the belief that he was now on his way out. Mr Eccles thought it would be advisable, before acting on the suggestion of the Qhairman, to find out what Mr Bills was doing ; and he would propose a resotion to that effect. Mr Cabeick thought that if money was J to be spent at home, an effort should be made to import red deer. Mr Eccles pointed out that the cost of a buck and doe would provide the colony with a large number of game birds, The motion was eventually agreed to, THE ICE-MACHINE DISPCJTE. Mr Eccles stated that Mr Dawbin was present, and that he wished to make a statement with relation to the correspondence that had passed between him and Mr Young with reference to the icemachine. As Mr Dawbin resided in the country, and had already been delayed a i day in order to attend the meeting, he | thought it was desirable that Mr Young should be sent for, as it was not advisable | that any explanation should be entered into in his absence. Mr Young was accordingly sent for, and, in a few minutes, entered the room, i He said, with relation to the matter then before the meeting, that he had stated beforehand, that he had no i complaint to make against Mr Dawbin, | nor had he expected that his original letter to Mr Carrick would be published. Had he imagined that it would have been published, he certainly would confess that lie would not have written so plainly. The fact was, he was annoyed to see that so much money as the machine cost had (as he believed when he wrote) been uselessly expended. In the correspondence which had passed since^he had made no reference to Mr Dawbin, and he could assure that gentleman that he had not any feeling against him, and was porry for the misunderstanding which had led to what had occurred. Mr Dawbin then entered into an explanation, stating that he had drawn as a reference from Mr Young's remarks, that it was through his (Mr Dawbin's) carelessness, the experiment had failed. So far from that being the case, he had used every precaution in his power while the fish were under his charge, but he had found it impossible to make ice with the machine during a calm which lasted 21 days, and while the temperature of the atmosphere was at 100 deg. , and that of the water at 87 deg. Mr Eccles asked if Mr Dawbin was not aware that ice could be made better in Jndia on hot dayß than on cold ones. Mr Dawbtn said he was not aware of that fact. He had used the machine every day, and had found that he could not bring ice out in a solid state. Mr Eccles said that the temperature of the water might have been lowered by the evaporating process first ; and he be- 1

Keyed had Mr Dawbin followed that course, he would have been able to make ice with facility. Mr Dawbin remarked that he had taken steps to reduce the temperature of the water to 47deg. The Chairman thought Mr Dawbin should be satisfied that there was never | any intention on the part of any one to I attribute carelessness to him in Ms management of the fish. There was a unanimity of opinion that he had done what he could to the best of his ability, so far as his knowledge of ice-making went. There could be no doubt that Mr Youug was of that opinion too. Mr Carrick was of opinion that hitherto I the Society had been under the impression that Mr Dawbin had aever attempted to use the machine at all. Mr Dawbin said that the ship had been becalmed 21 days, and had he been able to keep the fish alive two days longer, j they would have been saved. If the Council thought he was to blame, he was prepared to take the responsibility. The Chairman : No one ever said you were to blame. After some further conversational discussion, The Chairman again remarked that he trusted Mr Dawbin would be< satisfied with Mr Young's explanation. The Council had never officially taken cognisance of this matter, and he did not think it should commit itself in any way on the subject. Mr Dawbin saH he was very glad he had met Mr Young, and that by an explanation the misunderstanding had been i finally settled. He would cordially accept Mr Young's explanation, that his statements had been made under the impression that the machine had never been used. Mr Young thought there was an impression abroad even now that the machine had not been used. Nothing had appeared in the correspondence stating that it had. The matter then dropped, and the meeting closed.