BANK NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2762, 20 February 1907, Page 58

BANK NOTES.

North Canterbury. — Splendid fly-fishing is to be had at present between the Norwood bridge and Ellesmere bridge, over the Selwyn. Three anglers on Sunday week caught 64 fish, on the fly, of an average weight of three-quarters of a pound. The Mimihau. — No great amount of angling has been done on the local streams this season so far (says the Mimihau correspondent of the Wyndham Herald), owing to the exceedingly low state of the water. Fish, however, appear to be fairly numerous, although much smaller in size than formerly. Tlrey have been gradually drifting that way for at least four or five- years. Lakes District Acclimatisation Society. — Understanding that Lake Dispute, which is under the Lakes District Acclimatisation Society's control 29 regards fish culture, was being applied for as a mining dam, tho secretary of the society named has been instructed to object to such application unless the society's rights and powers are conserved as at present. — Mr David Aitken has been appointed ranger to the society for the year, commencing from February 1, 1907. A Case for Inquiry.— Some of the anglers who visit the lower Opihi at the week ends avo getting together quite a novel collection of new baits (says the Timaru Herald). Some of the baits 'may be legal; but, in view of the fact that several of tho big fish that are being caught nightly are ' foulhooked," the officials of the Acclimatisation Society might well have a look at the tackle that has been found lately. To listen to the discussions that are held among the many anglers at the Lower Opihi, and the free comments made, there is certainly good cauee for the society to make some inquiry into the matter. I Southland Acclimatisation Society.— At tho meeting of tho Acclimatisation Society on Tuesday week the eeoretary submitted a report showing that during the current financial year 23- offenders against the fishing and game laws had been successfully prosecuted by the society. The fines imposed by the court aggregated £70 3s, and the convicted persons were also mulcted in court and solicitors' coste amounting to £37 17s 6d, making tho total of fines and costs £108 0s 6d. The secretary gave these figures as evidence of the aotivity and zeal of tho society's ranger, and of the support he had received from the officers of the law. Fishing at Rotorua. — During the month of January (says the Hot Lakes Chronicle) Mr Chappe-Hall's launch Huia was hired by 18 parties of anglers, whose catches aggregated 247 trout, the weight of which was 8921b. Of this number 31 only were caught by trolling, clearly indicating that among true sportsmen fly-fishing predominates. Hamurana, and Awahou appear to be the favourite fishing groundß with anglers. Among those who were very successful was Mr Guy, who caught 115 fish, the aggregate of which was 2841b. Mr Frank Lundon, angling at Waiteti, caught 15 nice fish on the fly, one a brown trout, which turned , the scale at 61b. Mr B. Harp, fishing in the Ngongoiaha stream, caught 16 nice trout on the fly. Alleged Poaching.— lt has been currently reported for some time past that large numbers of trout were being illegally taken from the Shag River, and for the past fortnight two of the Otago Acclimatisation Society's rangers have been carefully watching the river with a view to detecting the offenders. On Sunday, the 10th inst., the two rangers, accompanied by a third party, paid a visit to Bushy, where they discovered a party of eight young men and boys hunily engaged in exploring the river with speare, gaffs, and other appliances. Tho rangers concealed themselves in tho goi-se on tho bank of the river, and the Palmerston Time's understands that after waiting for tome time they saw one of the fishing party -pcanng a porch. The rangers then took a hand in the proceedings, and after securing ihe names of the fishermen and taking possession of thoir WPanons they returned to Palmcrston. Six of the parly have been summoned to appear at the Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, on Tuesday. 19ih <nst., to answer a charge of illegally taking trout from the river. Hua\y Fines.— At the Magistrate's Court at Win ton on the 11th inst., before Mr S. I*;. M'Carthy. S.M., Arthur Dykes, John Brown, and Wm. Paynton, labourers, Cr-ntre Buah. and David Knight and William Knight, labourers, Winton, were charged

with having on the 12fh October, 1906, at Winton Creek, near Centre Bush bridge, taken trout otherwise than by rod and line, to wit, with a hoop-iron slasher and by hand, contrary to "The Fisheries Conserve* tion Act, 1884," and it* amendments, and the regulations of the Government made thereunder. Mr E. Russell appeared for the Acclimatisation Society, by whose ranger (John Friend) the informations were laid, and Mr T. B. M'N«il appeared for the defendants. After hearing the evidence his Worship inflicted a fine of £5, with costs (£1 15s) against each of the defendants', the fines and costs totalling £33 15s. Hi* Worship commented strongly upon the perjury that had been patent, in the evidence given for the defence. On the information of John Friend, charges were brought against Thomas Butcher, William Blec, Frederick Blee. and Horace Grimwood of having on Fehruary 3, 1907, taken trout not exceeding 9in in length and having r ailed to return same alive to the water, contrary to "The Fisheries Conservation Act, 1884," and its amendments, and! the regulations made thereunder. Mj E. Rusell appeared for the society, and Mr "Vl'Neil for defendants. After hearing evi'enco his Worship imposed- a fine of £2 nd £1 7s costs on each of the defendants, asts and fines amounting in all to £13 Bs. Tis Worship pointed out that persons convicted of this offence were liable to a .fine of £40, and intimated that he intended ,to deal severely with offenders in future cases.— Southland l Times. Government Confiscation of Territory.— At a meeting of the council of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, last week tho recent action of the Government; in gazetting the new Rotorua acclimatipation district under the control of tho Tour.efc Department, after a parliamentary committee had reported against the proposal, came in for some strong criticism. TheChairman said that, despite the report of the parliamentary committee and the convincing evidence on which the report was based, and in complete disregard of the equities of the case, the. Government had taken a- large share of the society's district. That this was done for the sole purpose of commandeering the very considerable revenue produced by this part of the district was only too evident. Absolutely no case had been mado out by the Tourist Department before the committee, whoso report was of the most definite character. I If the territory taken had not been stocked it might have been argued that the Tourist Department was, with" its command of public money, better able to proceed with the stocking than the society could be, but the fact was that the whole of the district was thoroughly well stocked, and there was practically little else left for the department to do but to collect revenue. That was probably all it wanted, and, as far as he could judge, all th© department could have set its eyes on the district for, as the 6ociety had never had any control over the district beyond the right to stock it and the somewhat doubtful privilege of drawing up regulations and submitting them to various incompetent officers of the Government and getting them' back so mutilated a» to be almost unworkable* The whole thing had been done to take die £600 a year out of the society's funds, %hick £600 the Tourist Department had coveted-. Ho said this with, a full sense of his responsibility; there could never have been any other purpose. An important question, was as to the value of the atrongfy-expeesfect opinions of the. Auckland; members. TheAuckland members spoke most- vigorously against the proposed action of the Government, and defended the society, but their opinions were set aside, tha evidence taken before the committee was absolutely disregarded, and the committee's report was simply flouted. — Mr J. Burtt asked whether the society could still take ova from the district. — The Chairman said that what the Government had done was so outrageous that he was prepared for anything. It might be that when the society wont to Rotorua to take ova from the fish it had! introduced it might be stopped, although, when Rotorua was in the society's district, the Tourist Department come in and took ova, and sent: it to various parts of the colony, without asking permission, and the> •ociety made no objection. And there was no reason why the department should make any objection to the society taking ova. Tho report of the parliamentary committee , was that the proposals of the Government I were opposed to the best interests of i acclimatisation and sport in New Zealand. |In answer to Mr Whitney, the secretary said that many years ago £500 was expended in the importation of three lots of, Californian salmon ova, and the whole exrense of two of the lots was borne by Mr Firth. — In reply to Mr Wallis, the- secretary said the society would still havo the £250 to £300 for fishing licensee. As far as he ! could judge, the rovenue would be about the same as four or five years ago. — Mr Wallis: Wo need a guarantee before wo go on that the rest of our district will nos bo interfered with.— Tho Chairman : Th© action of the Government is paralysing all voluntary effort. I do not think any ono of us would have worked here all these year > had we known that the fruits of our work would be confiscated. — Mr Wallis then, moved — "That the Government be asked whether it had any intention, at any future time, of further interfering with the society's district, as upon the Teply would depend the society's decision to go on with its work or close down."' — The motion was carried. — New Zealand Herald.

To mark hi^ gratitude * man who was acquitted on a charge of counterfeiting coins in India, added 33s 4d to his lawyer's fee of £10, but the lawyer afterwards found. that tho whole sum consisted of counterfeit, rupees.