OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1880, 2 December 1887, Page 9

OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

The monthly meeting of the Council of th© Acclimatisation Society, held on Friday afternoon, was attended by Messrs A. C. Begg (in the chair), T. Brydone, R. Chisholm, VV, Carlton, J. R. Danson, P. C. Neill, G. M. Thomson, W. Ouningham Smith, Rev. R. Waddell, J. Wilkie (hon. secretary), and F. Deans (manager). REPORTS. The Manager reported as follows : — I have the honour to report that we have succos** fully liberated in the top waters of the AparSraa HB,OOO salmon six months old, being part of the shipments recently received from the rivers Tweed, Oufch, and Tay. They were strong, healthy, and ingood couditiou when liberated. To convey this quantity to fcheir destination four trips had to be made. The journey being too long to accomplish in oue day, we liad to stop a night ah Lunißden|on eacfo . occasion, the loss during transit being triiliug/ I was assisted by Bangers Burt and Campbell; also Mr Walter Basstiau (Hamilton Burn), aud Messrs' C. and J. JBnsstian CQunrobin) rendered every assistance in. carrying and otherwise conveying them as> high up stream as possible. We inteuustl placing the last lot five or six miles higher up than ilia previous lots, but we had a breakdownand had to liberate ihem where No. 3 lot was put. The Aparirrro hae> every appearance of being a very suitable stream ior salmon, moro especially Hamilton burn and othtff tributaries. These seem to have abundance of food, but the main stream does not appear to have that amouut of sediment on the stones necessary for the encouragement of ins^cfi life. But the surroundings are varied with occasional patches of bush and other kinds of vegetation along the banks, which will harbour other kinds of food. And as there are plenty of gravel and cover, I do not think there is much wanting to make them a success. So we must hope for the best results. I beg to report that on September 5 Danger Burt aDd I went to Queenstown again for a further supply of ova, aud 6iicceeded m obtaining about 55,000. This makes a total of about 380,000 brown trout ova collected during the season. Wo got about 220,000 from Wakatipu ; but I regret to $ay a very large percentage of them went bad, and after they hatched, a large number proved to be deformed. I believe altogether about oue-half of this lot has a totalloss. On the other hand, those obtained from the streams have turned out splendidly, and are remarkably strong and lively, and will soon be ready for liberating. The brook fcroufc aro very strong, and ought to be liberated at once. There are also about 50U year-old Loch Levens, and 300 year-old brook trout, which should be turned out as soon as possible. I would also recommend that the year-old salmon at Clinton be drafted, and the largest liberated or confined in a separate pond, as there is not tho slightest doubt that cannibalism prevails to a considerable extent amongst fish in confinement. I have seen signs of this at a very early stage. In addition to the ova sent away previous to the last meeting, 10,000 brown trout ova have been sent to Auckland and 1000 to Westport. I have not heard fche results of these lots. Through the favour of Mr Lloyd, I hear that the lot sent to Sydney arrived in good condition, and hatched out well. Mr Dkaks further reported having received from the Wairarapa Acclimatisation Society 55 Rhine salmon and 30 Rhine trout, the latter being a particularly handsome variety of trout. Mr A. Grant had kindly given the society a truck of gravel for use in the Clinton hatchery. GENERAL BUSINESS. Attention 'was drawn by letter to the loss going on at Waitahuna by fish getting into the races. — The Secretaky stated that they were captured by tho miners in sackfuls, and suggested that the mouths of the races should be covered by gratings. — The Chairman feared that if the miners wanted fish they would remove the gratings. The better way would be jto institute prosecutions.— Tho Secretary said [ it would be very difficult to obtain evidence, and it was decided to write to the ranger instructing him to see if anything could be done in tho matter. The Southland Society wrote asking that Mr Ellis should receive 15,000 salmon given him with which to experiment in the Mararoa river. — | It was resolved not to consent to the salmon ! being sent so far from the control of the societies, and to hold the Southland Society bound by tho agreement to turn them into Jacob's river. The Secretary mooted the advisability of selling the Opoho property^ making Clinton the headquarters of the society and shifting their manager there, where he could work with Ranger Burt.— The Chairman remarked that there was not so good a water supply at Opoho as was expected, and Mr Deans would bo able to do more in conjunction with Ranger Burt than separately. — The members present expressed their opinions as to the suggestion, but it was decided that no formal notice of motion should be given until next meeting. It was decided to present medals for fly fishing on the Waipahi on two consecutive days, the Bth and 9th December— the competition to be open to all licenseholders ; intending competitors to send their names beforehand, accompanied by a fee of Is. Ranger Burt reported the capture of two poachers at Kaihiku.— The Seobetaey Eaid he had given instructions for a prosecution to be instituted.-— Mr Chisholm fruggestcd that the Government shoulil be ahked to introduce a provision in tbe Salmon and Trout Act that fines recovered in thlrf way should be handed to the ssOcieLy which was at tho 1 expense of prosecution. I>lr Caultok suprrf«"ited that the secretary should write to the Government asking them to renew the shipment of talmon ova. Mr Chisholm gave notice to move at next meeting— "That an additional ?v.m of £25 given to Ranger Burt at the close of. the for his services." To thk Dha;\— A person who was cured of de<tfnrssnt 2.) yeniVsfn.-iiHiif; l>y a .simple remerfy will .• end the description ot it fiee to any person who applies. Address-.— J. H. r. iciiolsox, 15 Camdea Park road, London, N.W., Englanc.