BANK NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1956, 20 August 1891, Page 29

BANK NOTES.

TEOtJt Polching a.t Hayes Cheek.—lnformations were laid last week against three men named Linwood, Shanahan, and M'Arthur for having taken and having in their possession four fish from Haye3 creek. The informations were heard at Arrowtown on the 12th before Mr Wood, B.M. Constable Wake gave evidence to seeing the first accused taking the fish from Hayes creek. All the accused pleaded guilty to having the fish in their possession, and were fined 40s each, with costs, amounting in all to £14 6a; in default, 14 days' hard labour in Arrow gaol. It is hoped this will serve as a xsaution to those parties who make it a practice to help themselves to fish all the year round. The other day a number of female fish were netted for stripping and placed in a reservoir near Qaeenstown. Next moroing it was found they had all been 'atolen.'^-Commenting on the above the Lake County Press says :— " Considering the extent to Iwhich poaching has been carried on in this community, the fines were very lenient. This leniency Mr Wood will very probably diaoover as thrown away and scarcely vindicates the law, we think. But no doubt the magistrate took into account the fact of two of the accused being young men, as he did the fact of the other's ciroumsfcances being represented to be poor, and the fact of it being the first appearance before him of aiiy poachers in the district. His Worship said it was not only an offence against the law, but a great moral offence. Its greatest offence is, however, against Nature. For the sport of anglers we care, we may say, nothing as compared with the main consideration—the objects of the acclimatisation societies. We look upon the fish as a good wholeBorne food, and the societies have not, we hope, been animated so much by a desire to provide t • sport' as to introduce something that is fit for human consumption. Costing originally a large sum of money to introduce to the waters of the colony, the fish r are not expensive' to maintain— in fact, if given fair play, they would cost nothing. If they are interfered with at the spawning season, it will readily be seen, all the worthy efforts of societies are checkmated, and the laws of the country set at naught. Locally poaching has hid the countenance of a large section of the community— indeed, it i» only the few that condemn it, so blinded is the koral sense, bo deep-rooted is the ignorance of first principles, so predominate are greed and selfishness. The means adopted are cruel and cowardly. So small is the creek and so large are the fish that it is an easy matter for the poachers to gaff them. Yet a great many people seem to think that the poachers are manly fellows and display great bravery in doing the helpless fish to death. As the fish are so easily taken, poachers can afford to sell, and have sold, the largest fish out of season ajfc as low a price as one shilling, and up to half a crown a piece. The natural greed of peopje makes them receivers (at a small price) of what Mr Wood regards as stolen goods. Who is there in this community— this colony, in fact— that requires to steal? None! The protectioa of the fish m the close season is a wise law* It is in keeping with the laws of good government— for the benefit of the community at Jarge, and no class or individual in particular. On broad grounds we have denounced the practice, but fear that anything we may say will fall on deaf ears." Spbabing Fish at Dunedin Whabvbs.— A correspondent writes suggesting that the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals might instruct their inspector to visit the wharves occasionally with a view to putting a stop to the practice indulged in by boys of spearing fish, to which, on being landed, corks and sticks are attached, the fish being then returned to the water. The boys then watch its struggles and sufferings with great relish. Captain L. P. Stevens, the deputy-harbour-master, has made strenuous efforts to put a stop to the cruelty, but, of course, he is not übiquitous. ..... Extinction of Flounders.— According to Professor Hutton, the distinguished expert, the race of New Zealand flounders is threatened with complete extinction unless the Legislature interfere for the protection of the young fish. A deputation consisting of Messrs Wright, Rolleston, Saunders, Perceval* and J. W. Thomson waited on the Government to-day and represented that it was a prevalent practice in nearly all the fishing grounds of the colony for flounders of very email size to be caught in large numbers and said. Fish of 6in and 7in and even less were commonly offered for sale. Mr Wright, who introduced the deputation and acted aa spokesman, quoted the opinion of Professor Hutton to which I have already referred, and produced sketohes showing the size 3of fish that were now caught and the minimum size which ought to be legally catchable. He concluded that 9in, the present legal minimum size, was too small, and that llin ought to be the smallest size permitted to be caught. He stated, indeed, that Professor Button was in favour of 12in as the minimum, but the deputation would be satisfied with llin meanwhile. The deputation was to the Minister of Marine, but aa he was unable to be present Mr W. P. Reeves represented him. Mr Reeves expressed bis warm concurrence in the views put forward by Mr Wright and the deputation, ami promised to bring the matter under the immediate consideration of the Government.

A seal, about 7ft in length, of a silver grey colour, was captured sleeping in a haystack near Oamaru last week. From a letter read at the Nelson City Council it appears that a new treatment for consumption ha* been introduced by Mr H. Clapham, who wrote offering to treat a patient to be nominated by the council, free of cost, to prove its efficacy. Some of the councillors testified to Mr Clapham's success, and hia offer was favourably received.