LAND AND WATER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2416, 28 June 1900, Page 44

LAND AND WATER.

One outcome of the recent trawling expedition undertaken* by Mr L. F. Ayson, Inspector of Fisheries, is that a small syndicate of Nelson gentlemen has been formed to open up the valuable fisheries of Tasman Bay. Captain Neilson, of the Doto, is to proceed there, and to commence operations. Nelson is an ideal place for trawling. One side or other of the bay is always workable, except in the roughest weather, and there are excellent harbours of refuge on both sides. The variety of fish is also very great, and the tiay abounds in oysters as fine as those of

Stewart Island.

It has been suggested, says the New Zealand Times, that the New Zealand acclimatisation societies should subscribe towards a fund for the importation of game from South Africa. It is well known that there are, numbers of the fauna of the veldts which would readily acclimatise on such areas as the National Park, the West Coast districts, the Sounds country, and in the open lands to the north of Auckland. Shooting at the game in South Africa has to a large extent made the Boers the marksmen that they 'are, and the better furnished a country is in this respect the bettor shots will its inhabitants become. A good opportunity for carrying this suggestion into effect will probably offer within the, next few months, when, after peace is asBured, the various contingents are returning from South Africa. If on the transports were shipped a number of the animals referred to, the men would no doubt take a keen interest in their welfare, and do all in their power to land them in good condition. Thus would the enterprise of the acclimatisation

societies be amply repaid

The Nelson Colonist stales that the first whale of the season was caught on the 13th inst., in Tory Channel, by Messrs Jackson and Morion, in their whaleboat Swiftshire. It is 40ft long and 12ft in diameter, and is expected to yield about 12 tons of blubber. The blubber was 9in thick.

The Clutha Leader slates that Messrs Wm. ■Willocks, J. L. Bruce, aiid D. T. Fleming, in company with Mr A. Scott and John Landels, recently spent a day's swan shooting on the Tuakitoto Lake. The swans were pretty wild, but the parly managed to secure 24. The wild geese are fairly numerous, and have shown a wonderful increase daring the past year or two. but are very wild The lake was very much deeper than it has been at this Season of the yeai for a considerable time, offIng to a f,toj)page in the outlet channel. Mr D. C. Tennent, Marlon, in journeying to the beach near the mouth of the Turakinn Rivei-j cm the 17th,, discovored a, skeleton oi

a moa. The bird apparently was of a gigantic size, and had been buried on a sandhill, which lias now been Mown away. Mr Tennent gathered up the bones and brought them to Marton, and they constitute almost the complete framework of the bird.— Advocate. The effort to secure a visit of an English team, at the next Amateur Athletic Championship meeting at Sydney has failed, chiefly owing to the financial difficulty in carrying out the scheme on the part of the English Association.

Thanks to the energy displayed by Mr R. Smith, of Onslow " Park, Pahiatua, the New Zealand Association of Caledonian Societies is firmly established. The main objects of the association are to bind more closely the various Caledonian Societies in the colony, to foster cash running and field sports, and to hold a championship meeting annually in a different centre under the auspices of the local Caledonian kSoeiety. The second annual meeting of the association is to be held in Wellington during the month of July, and at that meeting the place at whioh the next championship meeting will be held is to be decided. The first championships were held in Inverearoill early this year, and the probability is that the next meeting will be he'd either in Wanganui or Napier.