TAUPO FISHING RIGHTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3774, 13 July 1926, Page 36

TAUPO FISHING RIGHTS.

PRIME MINISTER CONGRATULATED.

TEMUKA, July b. Some interesting facts were placed before the Council of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society on Saturday last by Mr Pigott. of Timaru, in reference to the fishing rights in the thermal regions in the North Island. Correspondence had been received from the Auckland Society suggesting that the existing license of £1 remain in force for residents there, but that the license fee for oversea visitors be £lO. The society gave as its reasons for the suggested change that the stocking of the lakes was a local responsibility and also that the average tourist probably took 20 times as many trout as a resident fisherman. One overseas fisherman, indeed, had boasted that he had taken 20 tons of rainbow trout from the lakes in a season. A further letter referred to a proposed license fee of £3 for New Zealanders. Mr Pigott, in addressing the members of the council, said he had, visited Taupo for the last iwo years, and he thought the letters were very misleading as to the conditions under which fishing was obtained. In the south every river had a reserve which gave access to fishermen, but the thermal regions had never been taken out of the hands of the original owners, who had the power to prevent approach to the rivers. The Tongariro was the cream of the rivers, and the wealthy overseas visitors had a monopoly. A resident of Tokaanu paid £9O a year to the Maoris for a stretch of the river, and had four camps two of which each provided accommodation for eight persons, and the other two for nine. For this each person paid £lO per week. Only six miles of the river was available for fishing, but another 30 miles could be opened up through the bush at a cost of £2OO. The accommodation was already completely booked up for February, March, April, and May of next year. The fishing rights of the rivers had not been definitely decided, but the Government was paying £6OOO a vear for Rotorua, and £3OOO a year for Taupo What was wanted, however, was the right to fish in the rivers. He thought the Auckland Society was showing a very poor spirit, but he would endorse the letter asking for a £lO license fee from overseas fishermen. The To kaanu resident paid £9O a vear in rent, and received payments of £340 a week. That system unfortunately would continue, and be in existence next year. It was only by the greatest good fortune, he said, that they had not lost the fishing rights in the legion for all time. There were 500 or 600 Maoris interested isl the 700-acre block. and an anglers' society had been trying to buy it for the last 10 years but the Natives would not sell. He (Mr Pigott) visited a friend who had 700 acres on the banks of the Tongariro, and who had been offered £IOOO

a year for the right to fish in four holes. It was absolutely the finest fishing in the world, and they were in very great danger of losing it. Mr E. Macdonald confirmed Mr Pigott’s remarks, and said that the fishing was extraordinarily good. One of his nut mated on his last visit, was a retired Indian civil servant, who came out to New Zealand second year. The overseas tourists "wanted the rivers to themselves. At the instance of Mr L. B. James it was decided to write to the Prime Minister (the Rt Hon. J. G. Coates), congratulating him on the stand he had taken in regard to the fishing rights of Taupo, and expressing the hope that he would be able to make satisfactory arrangements in respect to the Tongariro and other rivers running into Lake Taupo.