ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3768, 1 June 1926, Page 23

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Otago Acclimatisation Society was held on Tuesday in the New Zeal aud Express Company's board room, There was a fairly good attendance of members, and Mr C. P. M. Butterworth, president of the society, oocupied the chair. CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, said it was the sixtieth annual report, and it could be said truthfully that, notwithstanding that old age was creepiug upon the society, it was still active and vigorous and that there were no signs of decay about it. The work had progressed satisfactorily during the year in all departments and a reasonable measure of success had been achieved. The financial position was very strong, the society had assets worth £5558, of which £2527 was in money on deposit and in the bank. It might be said that thesejnoneys ought to be expended ih acclimatisation. but the answer was that for a number of years the conditions in the Otago Acclimatisation district had not been favourable to acclimatisation, especially of bird life, aud therefore expenditure in that direction had not been advisable. He thought the outlook in that respect was improving. With the disappearance of the rabbit, stoats, weasels, and cats had become fewer. Poisoning had ceased and there were better chances now of success in an attempt to acclimatise bird life than there had been. The expenditure for the year had been £2906 16s. while the income has been £3541 10s lid. The curator’s returns stated that 3,623,000 eggs had been laid down at the hatcheries. The number of fry liberated was 1,155,000. being 778.000 more than a year ago. Taken together the number off eggs ‘sold, and fry liberated, gave figures iust over 1,500,000. more than those for 1924. While on this noint he mentioned that applications for fry for liberation in streams always received the careful attention and consideration of tht»" council. In some respects the most interesting and important development for the year in fish culture , had been the liberation of the Lake Te A nan Atlantic salmon alevins in the Pomahaka River. The secretary had applied again this year to the Marine Department for another batch of Salmon eggs, and if they were received it would continue stocking the Pomohaka. There were 25 (loer-stalking licenses taken out this year. Most of the stalkers went the Makarora, where a number of good heads were taken. Mr Kitto, on Clack 35a, shot a nice 12-pointer, and Colonel Sparrow a 14-pointer on Block 33. In the Hunter Valley there was not much stalking done, but two heads were taken which showed an improvement on the heads that had been coming out of late years. The thinning out of deer was bringing about a restoration of the food supply, and the standard of the heads in the Hunter would begin to improve from now on. With regard to imported game for the first time the shooting of Canadian goose had been licensed, but he could not find that a single goose had been shot. This seemed to indicate that the birds would not require much mothering from the society. The most recent importation had been the Chikkor, and 44 had been landed, the majority of which were in very good order, and their condition reflected credit on those who supervised their transport. They had again a good return from ihe opossums, the amount taken being £689 6s 4d. The number of skins taken in Otago was 24,336, a few more than were taken in 1924. There were indications that some parts of the bush wo." being trapped out, and the society might have to restrict trapping in certain districts next year. The shooting of shags had been carried on again this year, and the rangers and settlers had accounted to the society for 380. The ranger had stated that he had shot over 800 in the last .six years, and had opened about half the birds he got. He had never found an eel in any of them, and the only evidence he ‘ -»d found that, shags fed on eels was when he found a piece .of an eel near a shags’ uest. Shags shot on the Taieri were carrying perch. Birds shot on the Tokomairiro had flounders in them and some tront, and birds shot on the Shag River also contained trout and flounders. On the Watkaia a shag was shot which had ill its inside 23 young trout from 3in to 6in long, and there was another shot on the Pomahaka which contained 18 small fish. It would appear from this evidence that the society was on right lines in continuing the destruction of shags. The number of hawks destroyed was 943. The Auckland Society had spent £3ST> in the destruction of hawks, killing 15,405 birds. He was afraid hawks were increasing in the district, and it would be advisable v to make a raid -on ihein l»y poisoning and shooting. Hawks t:>ke a very heavy toll of young duck 9. Mr R. Conn seconded the adoption of the report. Mr J. R. Wilson supported the adoption of the report, and commented upon the satisfactory state of the finances. Opossums were going to be a big factor in their revenue. He thought the society might consider for the benefit of New Zealand, and particularly for the benefit of Otago, the question of further acclimatising opossums. It would, in his opinion, be worth while sending the ranger to make a general survey of smaller pieces of forest. If they conducted a survey of their forests and liberated opossums they would in time have a big revenue from this scource. As to gray duck, he thought they would he compelled to have a close season every third or fourth year. Mr C. A. Wilson advocated the stocking of small streams with Scotch burn trout, which he considered had been much neglected by the society. It attained a weight of 31b f and was a beautiful fly fish. He thought the Anglers’ Association might have impressed upon it the desirability of forwarding reports as to streams that required stocking. Such information would be of great assistance to the society. Mr Turner stressed the desirability of planting trees round Lake Ilawea, and at Waipori dam. with the object of increasing the food supply for fish. He also mentioned Manorburn dam as a good place a for the planting. Mr Whitelaw mentioned that from what he had heard there was to be no more fishing allowed in dams in the vicinity of the city. Mr White referred to the trap in the Leith, which he considered a means of saving a great deal of labour. The report and balance sheet were then adopted.

OFFICE-BEARERS. The following office-bearers were appointed without opposition:—President, Mr C. P. M. Blutterworth; vice-presidents, Messrs R. Conn and R. Rutherford; members and council—Messrs A. Cowie, G. Howes, T. Long, W. G. Reid, and H. G. Williams; auditors, Messrs Moodie and Smith. VOTES OF THANKKS. Votes of thanks were passed to the retiring office-bearers, the hon. rangers, the press, the staff, agents, and those who assisted in liberation of fish. THE LATE WM. BLACK. Before the meeting terminated those present stood in silence for a few minutes as a mark of respect to the late Mr Wm. Black, for many years a member of the society’s council.