OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3864, 3 April 1928, Page 36

OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

MEETING OF COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of the council of the Otago Acclimatisation Society was held on March 26, when there were present Mr A. Cowie (in the chair), Messrs Rutherford, Aburn, Dodgshun, J. R. Wilson, Baker, White, Turner, C. Wilson, Howes, Reid, Long, M'Dowell, Smith, and Stewart. GENERAL. It was decided that the manager should write to the Minister of Internal Affairs urging that there be a brief shooting season for paradise duck. It was pointed out that farmers were threatening that unless there was an open season for paradise duck, m view of them destroying crop, they viculd poison them. One week was sug gested as a season; the number of birds io be shot in a day to be six. ANGLING COMMITEE’S REPORT. Ranger Pellet reported that a man and nis wife had been caught fishing with set lines, etc. The matter had been referred to the council, with a suggestion that the society’s solicitors’ opinion be obtained as to whether this constituted an infringement of the regulations. The Ranger further recommended that a warning should be .issued to the occupier of factories on,and -adjoining, Lindsay’s Crek, regarding the pollution of that stream, and drawing their attention to the regulations. The Marine Department, Wellington, wrote on > ebruary 28 enclosing the regulation regarding forfeiture of angling gear. The committee, recommended that in the case of one man his forfeited gear should be sold, and that the Minister be asked for authority to s o dispose of the man’s gear. Mr J. Buckley, of Hawea Flat, had writ ten regarding the falling off in the number of trout in Hawea. The committee recommended that Mr Buckley be thanked for his information. The Portobello Marine Board, per medium of Mr G. Howes, forwarded information regarding mussels, pipis, and sea shrimps, for the feeding of trout. The committee recommended that the board be thanked. Mr W. Gordon, of Garston, had written asking for the names of those license holders who had been refused permission to fish on his property. A reply, sent by the manager, had been approved. The secretary of the Otago- Anglers’ had written making recommendations regarding the liberation of trout, etc. The committee recommended that the secretary should reply, giving a summary of the ycung trout put into the Tomahawk Lagoon for the last five years. The committee recommended as follows:—That Mr W. G. Reid be thanked for sending a supply of live frogs to Mr T. Gillespie; that the matter of providing a suitable place for the keeping of trout fry overnight in Dunedin be sons into by tlie chairman of the Angling Committee and the manager, and that the .fish pond at the Leith be attended to; that the following be sent forward as a remit to the next Acclimatisation Society’s Con ference: —“That an occupier of land through whose property a trout stream flows should have to apply for a permit from the local Acclicatisation Society to fish on his own ground.”—Adopted. GAME COMMITTEE’S REPORT. The Game Committee recommended that the society should apply for an open season for opossums for the month of June, and that the Southland Society and other South Island societies be advised to that effect. _ The committee recommended, in connection with a report received from Ranger Campbell, that the Clydevale dam on Mr Dunlop’s property be not made a sanctuary. The committee further recommended that Ranger Pellett’s suggestion regarding the time for the starting and finishing of shooting each day be noted for consideration next year. Mr Pellett to be advised that the shooting regulations were to be strictly enforced meantime. Communications received from the Department of Internal Affairs were to the following effect:—Enclosing a bonus of Is per tail for the red deer killed under contract; acknowledging receipt of the society’s suggestions regarding the game shooting season; regarding the society’s recommendation that game shooting licenses be not issued this season to certain people. Colonel Strutt, at present at Pembroke, had written advising that he was going deer stalking in Westland, and. requested to know whether his payment for block 35 would be refunded.The committee had decided that Colonel Strutt be informed that the regulations of the society would be strictly adhered to (this meant no refund). The Director of the Zoological Gardens, Melbourne, had written stating that swallows were essentially migratory birds, and he considered they would not stay in New Zealand. The committee recommended that two notices be sent to Mr E. J. Docherty, Sutton, notifying that shooting was not allowed on his nroperty; that the Auckland Society be asked for information as to Hungarian partridge.-,.—Adopted.