THE OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2914, 19 January 1910, Page 13

THE OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

[COUMUXICATED.] There has been a good deal said and written during the last three years regarding- the management by the Otago Acclimatisation Society of one of the branches of sport under os control. The dissatisfaction felt by a number of deer-stalkers has at length culminated in a proposal that the red deer herd in North Otago should be- placed under entirely new management, and it is apparent, that there is a feeling at Tapanui that the fallow deer herd there should be similarly dealt with. It is somewhat significant that among the correspondents who have lately expressed their opinions relative to the management of the red deer herd the Acclimatisation Society has only one defender of its policy. This particular correspondent, I am informed, was a recent contractor under the society, so that the value of his opinion is somewhat dis- ! counted by tho fact that he is not entirely ; disinterested There is no doubt that the Otago A;climatisation Society has a record in connection with the distribution of trout, that is unequalled by any other society in the Dominion, and in the seventies and early eighties it. did good work in the introduction of various species of game birds. Furthermore, -it was the only society that undertook the importation of little owls —the latest, effort at acclimatisation, —which appear likely to serve a useful purpose in the suppression of small birds. The society has boon mainly controlled by a few enthusiasts—city business men, —who have given considerable time and attention, to the work they have taken in hand. It seems to me, however, judging by the dissatisfaction among a section of its best supporters, that the time has arrived when the large body of contributors to its funds should have an opportunity to be represented upon the governing body. In these democratic days it is not reasonable that the council of the society should be drawn from a limited membership, which last year contributed only £42 5s to a revenue that totalled £2341 12s 3d. Of this total trout-fishers, of whom 957 paid £1 licenses, provided £1157, and 148 deer-stalkers were responsible for £4Ol. These license-holders, unless they pay an extra fee of _los, have no say in the management of their particular branch of sport. The Canterbury, Wellington, Nelson, and other large societies in the Dominion admit all full-saas'on license-holders to the privilege of membership,. and so far as I can learn this liberal "method of treating supporters has proved no detriment to these societies. Some two or three years ago a motion was brought forward at tho annual meeting of the Otago Acclimatisation Society that license-holders should be admitted to membership, but this was promptly negatived. There has evidently been some feeling among present members of the society as to the way that much 'of the business of the society is managed, as was manifested by the unsuccessful effort made at the last annual meeting to break down the ■ of management by executive. it will probably be-found that a good deal of the present dissatisfaction among supporters of the society, outside that of the alleged unfitness of members of the council to manage bßanch of sport of wiiich they have no practical knowledge, arises from the fact that decisions are arrived at in private, and it is only when such decisions are put into operation that they are heaid of. If such decisions are unsatisfactory, as appears to have- been the ca.se in _ reward to the management of the deer, it is only natural that they should arouse an antagonistic feeling. Going further into the question ot the constitution of the society, I find that the annual report for the year 1908-09 shows that there were SO subscribers who contributed the £42 ss, and of the number 10 were - business firms. Tho annual subscription is not less than 10s. Therefore,- any contributor of this amount, whether a sportsman or not, has a say in the management of the society, whereas it would cost a trout license-holder 30s or a deer-stalkei £2 10s or £4 10s (dependent upon whether he stalks fallow or red deer) to be upon the same footing. At the recent meeting of the council of the society, when the proposal of the three Christchurcn deerstalkers to nla.ee the red deer not'd .n the hands of a board was under consideia-t.on, a member of the council questioned the locus standi of one of the stalkers. This particular sportsman nas been a deerstalker in Otago for some M rearens and it will have cost him over £oo m license fees, while an expenditure of »5, m W yearly sums of 10s. would have entitled anyone to hold membership ot the society and even a scat, on the council during that period. Likewise, it would have cost a trout fisherman £ls for" a simdar P»m--I.owc It cannot be said, therefore, that the annual license-holders, toe majority ot them consistent supporters ot the society, are. being treated fairly. I have gone into this matter fully in rue interests of tb sock-tv. Unless it adopts a more hbeiai -attitude towards its supporters and allow* each of the two important branches of sport to have more say m the managemen of affairs, the threatened hiving off of the doer-stalkers will probamy be difficult to prevent. |