ANGLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2253, 6 May 1897, Page 38

ANGLING.

By Jock Scott.

To be a perfect fisherman you require more excellences than aio usually to be tound in such a small space as is allotted to a maaN carcass. — Pakkbr GrLvocit. ,

Bonders are invited to contntrutc items of local lisHlni; uons for insertion in this column- For insertion in the ensuing issue they should reaoli J)uuediu by Monday uijhfsuj.il.

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

A meeting of the council of the Acclimatisation Society was held at the office of the secretary, Exchange Court, on Monday, and attended by Messrs J. P. Maitland (chairman), A. C. Begg, T. Brown, R. Ohisholm, J. Edgar, G. M. Marshall, A. Stronacb, R Forrest, R. Campbell, J. Sinclair Thomson, F. Deans (manager), and D. Russell (secretary).

Mr F. Deans, manager, reported as follows :—: — " Preparations are being m&de for the coming spawning season. Many of the trays require overhauling, and some new ones made. The number of fry liberated during the year was 415,550 — viz., Loch Leven trout, 54,400 ; Scotch burn trout, 125,300 ; American brook trout, 70,000 ; brown trout, 165 000 ; and perch, 850. Last year 40,000 ova were obtained from our stock salmon, the result being 9450 fry six months old. Those received from Wellington in June last (part of the Kaikoura shipment) to be divided between the Obago and Southland societies now number 1975. T. Telford, Esq , of Ofcanamomo, kindly built an aviary, and took charge of the partridges to be liberated when the rabbit poisoning season is over. A new aviary has been erected for the pintail ducks, and they ara now confiaed by themselves. They are five in number — one' drake and four ducks." The report was adopted.

The Secretary of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society wrote : — "So much difficulty has arisen during late years in reference to fixing dates for opening and closing the shooting season and kindred matters connected therewith that this society deems it very advisable that a conference of delegates fiom the various acclimatisation societies should ba held to discuss these subjects. There is reason to believe that the Government would favourably entertain any reasonable resolutions such a conference might pas°, and would fix unalterable dates by statute before the close of the present year. There were many other matters connected with fish, the protection of jiabive birds, the introduction of new kinds of dear, &c, that might ■with advantage be discussed, and it is believed that it would be in the interests of the work of acclimatisation if such a conference could meet before next session, or at leant during the first or second week of that period. I am, therefore, instructed to request that you will be good enough to submit the matter to your council, aud let me know at the earliest opportunity the decision arrived at. I would suggest that Wellington, by reason of its central position, would be the best place to hold such conference."

The Chathman said it struck him that ib was very difficult to fix an unalterable time for the shooting season for both the North and South Islands, inasmuch as there was a great climatic difference. He thought that there ahould bs a time fixed for each island.

It was resolved that the society approve oE the proposal to hold a conference, and suggest that Christchurch would be the most convenient place for the majority of societies to attend such a conference.

Mr J. W. Mackenzie wrote asking if ib was the intention of the scciety to open Lake Hawea next season for netting trout, and suggesting thab if they did the lake be let ia sections. He was iuformed that the lake abounded with fish of a kind that wanted catching, as they were very large and destroyed the young fish to a very great extent. — It was decided to inform the writer that the society have no present intention of granting any license for netting in Hawea Lake.

Mr Gr. M. Thomßon waited upon the council with reference to the establishment of a marine fish hatchery at Pur&kanui. He said thab

what he proposed was thab the Obago Institute aud (ho Acclimatiaatiou Society should each grant an tqual some of money for the erection of a marine fish hatchery at the place mentioned, provided certain assistance was obtained from the Government. The question of establishing this hatchery and introducing Home fish was one in which he had interested himself for some time. On one occasion when he read a paper before the Otago Institute upon the subject a committee was appointed to examine the harbour and adjacent bays and inquire as to the suitability of this neighbourhood, and at the meeting in May last the committee reported upon the suitability of. Parakanui as a site for the hatchery. On the 3rd of June he gob a number of members of both Houses to meet him in the Town Hall, and he and Mr Hamilton, who was a member of the committee appointed by the Otago Institute, laid the matter betore the meeting. He was then asked, before he did anything further or asked the Government to do anything in the matter, if he would get more information from Home on the subject. He accordingly wrote to the American Fish Commissioner, and also to Dr Fulton, of the Scotch Fishery Board, with whom he had been in correspondence, and had lvceived the following reply from the latter :—: —

In answer to your questions, I think that further experiments are necessary before I could fsv how long it would be possible to retain the fertilised eg<>s of cod, plaice, etc., in a condition of i suspended development by the influence, of cold. : Plaice egg 1 ! have been prevented from hatching | for Jibmt 30 days in this way, but I rather fear it i will be difficult to retard the hatching of such 'mall eggs as those we deal with for 50 or 60 days. ' So far as I can say at present, it would be pos- |" bible for us to make experiments on the subject j next season at Dunbar. I rather think the i board would prefer actual outlay.?, as on 1 j'cp, ■< c . to b«s paid by yon. These I do nor, think would amount to more than £7 or XS. If you will be so good as to wiilo t,.> me, J shall brinx the matter oflicia ly before the boaul. I am of opinion we could supply you with the iiece.-s.iry ova and lish for experiments, or arrange for the latter being sent. With regard to the best size at which the fish desired should be sent, I confesi I do not know with certainty myself, and cm only reason on the subject from general considerations. I scarcely think, to beg'n with the eggs, you will sue ced with them, berau>e(l) they are pelagic and buoyant, and although we end them here by rail and .steamer, it is only for "-horfc distances and for brief perod«, the mechanical difficult c? on board a large steamer mint be much greater ; (2) it will, I fear, be impossible to sufficiently retard development for tap time you mention. The difficulties with yo'iuc: fry (Hrv.il and post-larva! stages) will be, if anything, more marked. On the other hand, our experience at Dutibar shows that the adults of different species exhibit very different tendencies t<i spawn in confioonu'n —plaice and rod spawn, as a nili 1 , readily, lemon coles not quite so readily, while soles an.l tnvbot have not spawned naturally to any extent. Thi3 would noint, I think, to the possibility of sending out to -you the two former species in" the adult condition, n. d the others not ; in the adult condition, nor in the condition of fry, I hub about half qr >wn. This is the method we are n w adopting. With regard to getting a mm 1 qualified for ths work to take charge, you would j not have much difficulty, and he would not require to be a scientific man. I should say a salary of about £200 or £250 would iecure you one for I hatching work. On the receipt of this letter he (Mr Thomson) immediately got tho committee who bad been appointed to vote £10 for making experiments, and these were being carried on now. The Hon. W, M. Bolt and Mr Millar. M.H.R., had taken up the matter warmly, and both of them hoped that the Government would do something to assist in carrying out the proposal. The Obago Institute had voted a certain sum for the work, conditional upon the Acclimatisation Society voting a similar amount and certain nsiistance boing got from the Government. As a lasb shage in tha matter, Mr G. M. Barr went down to Purakaiiui the other day and mapped off a section ot ground ; and as soon as the plans had been prepared it was intended to ask the Government to reserve the section in question as a site for a marine fish hatchery.

After some slight discussion with regard to the proposal, it> was resolved to refer tha matter to the executive to report. A vote of thanks was also accorded to Mr Thomson for bringing the matter b?fore the society. A couple of cases of poaching were referred to the executive to deal with.

SFx Maoris, fined for trout fishing afc Rotorna, and who neglected to pay their fines, were sentenced to 14- days' imprisonment, with hard labour.