LAND AND WATER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3102, 27 August 1913, Page 58

LAND AND WATER.

At a meeting of the English Hockey Association Committee, held in London last month, Mr Eliot Davies, of the Now Zealand Hockey Association, addressed the members, urging strongly the advantages of sending an English hockey team to New Zealand early in 1914. The suggestion was favourably received, and a sub-committee of four members was appointed to discuss details of proposal with Mr Davies. BASEBALL. SYDNEY, August 19. The representative cf an All-Star team of base ball era has arrived to arrange for a visit

of the team to Australia. They will leave San Francisco on November 4, and after playing Australia will visit New Zealand. NEW SOUTH WALES TEAM FOR NEW ZEALAND. SYDNEY, August 19. The New South Wales Lacrosse Association will send a team to tour the North Island of Now Zealand in 1914. HOCKEY. WANGANUI v. WAIKATO. WANGANUI. August 21. Wanganui failed to withstand the first challenge for the Nordon Cup which it recently acquired bv defeating Wairarapa. The successful challengers to-day wore the Waikato representatives, whose forward division particularly was too good for the local men. Waikato won a fairly interesting game by 4 goals to 2 after a score at half time of 4 goals to 1 in their favour. Wanganui acquired a little combination in the second spell, which was consequently of a more oven nature. The conditions under which the match was played were ideal. ACCIiiH.ATISATIOJi SOCIETY A meeting of the Otago Acclimatisation Society, held on the 25th, was attended by the president (Mr G. W. MTntosh, in the chair), and Messrs C. W. Chamberlain, A. Cowie, 0. Baker, G. B. Ogston, A. G. Fenwick, S. Pedcn, H. Islip, D. Cooke, W. S. Pattison, A.i M‘Car thy, C. P. Buttorworth, S Cousins, J. R. Wilson, and R. Rutherford. REPORES The Angling Committee's report mentioned that on the motion of Mr MTntosh it had been decided to send on the 80,000 rainbow ova from Rotorua to Lake Hawea as eggs, in charge of Ranger Beck, to be liberated in suitable places. Mr Mitchell (president of the Mataura Angling Club) had written stating that the work of clearing the banks of the Mirnihau and Lower Waierikihi was completed. It had been resolved to ask local a.nglcrs and members of county angling chibs to furnish reports as to the condition of rivers and prospects for the coming season. The secretary had been recommended to write to Mr Donaldson, at Tomahawk Lagoon, asking him to act as honorary ranger for the society. Accounts amounting to £23 3s 4d had been passed for payment.—The report was adopted. The Game and Doer Committee reporter!, inter alia, that the contract time for culling had been extended from the end of September till the end of October. It had been decided to reply to Mr Chapman, who wrote asking for protection for mllovv deer at Rongahcre, that the society was unable to help him under the conditions created by the Government department concerned. It had been decided to offer 3d per pair for hawk’s claws. It had been further decided to advertise a £5 reward for information leading to the conviction of opossum poachers. A map of the Makarora and Huntei* district, showing an arrangement of blocks to carry over 50 rifles had been received, and it had been decided to thank Mr Fcrbcs heartily for his splendid work, and to have the map reproduced in suitable size by photographic process.—Mr A. M‘Carthy, in moving the adoption of the report, said that personally he was of opinion that the time for culling should not be extended beyond September. There was a groat deal more detail in Mr Forbes’s map than in the old map, and ho asked to be authorised to procure 1000 copies of it, which could be obtained at a cost of Id each.—Mr Wilson moved as an amendment to the report that the old agreement ending the time of culling in September bo adhered to. He contended that after September the deer lost their antlers, and the cullers could not tell what they were shooting It was also coming near the calving time then, when the deer should not bo interfered with.—Mr M'Carthy seconded the amendment, and quoted opinions against extending the time into October.—Mr Buttorworth opposed the amendment, saying that the main issue was to keep down the deer, even at the cost of an odd hind and calf. —Messrs Fenwick and Cooke also opposed the amendment, and so did the chairman, who said there was ample evidence that the country was overstocked with hinds, and they must do something to get rid of them.—The amendment was lost by six votes to seven, and the report was adopted. It was decided to forward Air Forbes’ tracing to Air Faulks, at Makarora, for an opinion. Air Chamberlain reported on behalf of the Finance Committee that accounts amounting to £77 2s had been passed for payment, and a further £2 10s had since been authorised. He drew attention to the fact that while the society had commenced the year on April 1 with a credit balance of £l2l 14s Bd, the accounts just passed put them in a position of having a debit balance-of £69 13s 3d. That meant they had gone practically £2OO to the bad since March 31. No doubt there would be considerable revenue from fishing licenses when the' season came on, but in the meantime he wished to point out that the position was by no means a rosy one.—The Finance Committee’s report was adopted.

The Acting- Curator at Opo'ho reported that stripping in the Leith appeared to bo over for the season, as no fish had run up on the last fresh. The LochJevon ova had nearly all hatched out, and were doing very well. The Lake Blagdon would bo hatching out shortly. A few thousand brown trout, and also the brook trout, had hatched out. He recommended that the rainbow trout ova from Rotorua bo sent on as soon as possible to their destination. The last flood in the Leith had carried away the fish trap and practically destroyed it.

The Curator of the Clinton hatcheries reported that the total of brown trout ova collected this season was 835,000, and the grand total of all varieties now in the hatcheries was 1,391,000, with probably from eighty to one hundred tliousand rainbow ova to bo got from stock fish. The first strippings of Lochleven, Scotch brown, and all the brook trout ova had hatched out quite 10 days previously, and were doing very well. GENERAL. A request from the Wellington Acclimatisation Society to bo supplied with black opossums was referred to the Southland Society as being more likely to bo able to provide the animals required. Mr Chamberlain raised a discussion by asking whether the quarterly meetings, one of which was to bo held next week, served any good purpose. —The Chairman expressed the opinion that t those quarterly meetings were almost unnecessary. —Mr Pcden sa : d

they all realised that these meetings were a failure, and he advocated that they be conducted as they were some years ago. —Mr Buttorworth and other members said they had no recollection of these quarterly meetings in past years. —Mr Cooke stated that the quarterly meetings had been instituted at the instigation of the Anglers’ Association to give anglers an opportunity to obtain information as to what the society was doing. The first mooting was a great success, but anglers had failed to take advantage of the subsequent meetings. To tost the feeling of the council, Mr Chamberlain moved— ‘‘ That it bo a recommendation from the council to the next annual meeting to delete the rule providing for the quarterly meeting.”—The motion was lest.

The Chairman reported on the recent conference of acclimatisation societies at Wellington, and the various remits considered thereat.