LAND AND WATER, OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 8 July 1903, Page 63

LAND AND WATER,

OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

In a mile match at Waihi (Auckland) the other day between a pedestrian and a skater the latter won rather easily by two laps, which could have been increased had the runner liked. Miniature rifle ranges axe to be erected ai the Brisbane drillsheds to permit of rifle practice within tho city boundaries. No less than 430 shags' heads have been purchased in Rotorua, for which the local Bod and Gun Club paid out £6 Iss 6d. Trout are very plentiful m the Utahina, Hot Lakes district, this year. At Dalbeth's farm they can be seen in hundreds, making up stream to the spawning grounds. A new hapuka- ground has been discovered about halfway between Whakatane and Whale Island in seven fathoms of water. The Penguin's man caught a fish on this ground weighing 1201b.

A meeting of the Otago Acclimatisation Society was held on Friday afternoon : present—Messrs A. C. Begg (chairman). T Brown, J. Edgar, A. E. FarquhaT, C. D. R. Richard»n, D Baxron, R. Chisholm, A. C. Stronach, W. Qum (Tananui), D Russell (hon. secretary), F. Deans (manager). The Manager (Mr D«an»-) reported for Juno fcnaf as this was the ova, season tho staff had been very busy collecting. With the exception of the rainbow trout, the stock fish had nearly all spawned. The ova laid down at both hatcheries totalled close, upon a million — namely, 985,500. It would h& seen from Mr Steven's report that he bad laid down at the Clinton hatchery 556,500 ova, made un as follows : —Brown trout, 136,500; Loch Leven trout, 196,500; Scotch burn trout, 99,500; Fontina'Hs, 21.500 : and aalmon, 21,500. The number of ova laid down at Oooho hatchery was 389,000, as follows : —Brown trout. 310,000; Loch Leven, 46,000: and Fonfinali*, 33,000. The creeks in the Clinton district had been too high lately for the collecting of ova, but he expected to secure a large number of ova yet. If fchere were any orders for lioch Leven tiout bhw season, arrangements would have to be made to have them sent away, as Mr Stevens reported th© ova. was now eyed The rainbow trcut would spa-wn in August. — Tho ranort was approved. Mr W. Quin requested the society to supply 10 extra red deer, from those coming from Victoria, to the Tananui district, in addition to the six already fehere. — It was agreed to gnmt the request.

A request from Mr Hodgkinson for £10 towards repair? to the track from the Ahuriri River to the top of- the Dinglo was deferred for further information.

Messrs Begg and Ohisholm reported having visited the Clinton hatcheries, and it was decided to rebuild the old hatchery. A letter was received complaining that pawdust was being deposited in creeks in the Tokanui district. — It was resolved to obtain a report in thia matter, and to endeavour bo pul a stop to pollution of any trout stream.

Messrs A. G. Begg and R. Chisholm -were appointetr delegates to the meeting of tire Acclimatisation Association in Weitington.

Mr Chisholm referred at length to the annoyance occasioned to anglers by the growth of broom and. gorse on the banks of 7-he Mimihau Stream. He moved that £3 should be granted for the clearing of these slants along the banks. — After some dis;u??ion. the motion was carried.

Tho Southland Society wrote a-king to bo supplied wifeh 25,000 rainbow trout ova, and inquiring if brown trout ova could be obtained. — It was decided to supply both rainbow and brown trout ova if required at tho usual terms. It was agreed to exchange with Mr M'Haffie, cf Ohri'stehurch, different kinds of ducks for a pair of white swans for the Botanical Gardens.