OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3870, 15 May 1928, Page 7

OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

MONTHLY MEETING. jtThe postponed monthly meeting of vile Council of the Ota>ro A''-” tion Society was held on May 7; present —Messrs A. vowie v.ic chaif), Rutherford, Osborn, Stewart, White, Williams, C. Wilson, Turner, Long, Reid, Howes, and Baker. At the request of the chairman members stood as a mark of respect to the memory of the late Mr W. M'Connoehie, of St. Bathans.

It was agreed to liberate 1567 fry in the Tomahawk Lagoon. It was also decided that a dozen two and a-half year old Atlantic salmon should be. liberated in the Pomahaka River, that 133 Lock Leven be put into the Tomahawk Lagoon, and that 1561 eight-month-old Scotch Brown and Ilowietown fry be placed in the Shag River, above Dunhack. GAME COMMITTEE’S REPORT.

The Game Committee’s report contained the following:—Ranger Rellett reported on the suggestion that Messrs Docherty’s and Kirkland’s .places at Sutton be made sanctuaries, and it was recommended that no action be taken. Ranger Campbell reported, and the committee recommended that the case reported against a man for setting traps for opossums be left in the hands of the manager and a solicitor, and that the manager make further inquiries regarding the proposed sanctuary at the Waikaka Valley.—The usual budget was receive from the Department of Internal Affairs, the details being as follows:— Agreed to make the season for. Californian quail from June 1 to July 31. Advised that the Minister had approved of the society’s recommendation that the month of June be an open season for taking opossums. The Secretary of the Southland Society had written that it was applying for an open season for opossums for the month of June.— The letter had been received.—Mr C. A. Whitney, president of the .Auckland Acclimatisation Society -had forwarded information about the Hungarian partridge.—Further information 'to be secured in regard to the partridges.— The secretary of the Otago High Schools Board had written regarding opossum poaching on the board’s endowment lands in the Mokoreta district.—Mr Isaac Taylor, Hunter Valley, had written complaining of the damage done to turnips and other green crop by the Canadian geese.—Mr Taylor to be informed he had the right to shoot at the geese to clear them off his property.—Sir C. A. Stronach, Ettrick, had written advising that he had still had one cock chikkor and two hens, and also one young bird. Over 30 chicks had been hatched.—Messrs Lichtenstein and Paykel, Auckland, had wrtten stating That they were communicating with th3ir principal regarding a 'price for deer skins.—Received. It was recommanded that complimentary shooting licenses should be sent to constables, as per last year’s’list, also to Rangers Pellett, Campbell, Claringbold, and Adamson.—Messrs Sinclair and Baylee, solicitors, had written regarding the purchase of the property at Waitati.—Resolved that the society’s solicitors interview the City Corporation and ask if it was going to exercise its rights in connection with the taking of water from the tributaries of the Waitati, and if it were, what difference would be effected in the waters of that .stream.—Solicitors to find out the position promptly before the purchase was completed. Mr Baker had been appointed a committee to act, in conjunction with the solicitors, to see that the society’s rights were conserved.— Adopted. ANGLING COMMITTEE.

The Angling Committee recommended hat the offer to rent, at 10s per week, for a period of six months, a portion of the yard in St. David street, belonging to the estate of the late E. C. Holmes, be accepted, for stowing material belonging to the society and the boxes for keeping fry

overnight.—The committee recommended that 500 of the Howietoun fry be kept; the balance to be put in the Waipori River, near the power house. Ranger Pellet reported on letters received and the committee recommended in connection therewith that J. Austin be engaged to assist on the Leith during the trout spawning season. In a departmental direction the usual number of letters had been received from the Department of Internal Affairs. The first letter acknowledged the rereceipt of an order for 250,000 rainbow trout eyed ova. The second advised that all comunications, in connection with the appointment of officers, under the Fisheries Act, should be addressed to the secretary of the Marine Department.—The Secretary of the' Marine Department wrote regarding the disposal of the trout fishing gear forfeited by F. Dixon.—Permission was given to sell the gear.—The Secretary of the Southland Acclimatisation Society wrote quoting 3s Gd per 1000 for Mossburn brown trout eyed ova. The Auckland Society had writen that it was sending on the box that contained the ova from the Bristol Water Works Company.—Adopted.

The ’Finance Committee recomended the payment of accounts amounting to £7l 14s Gd.—Approved.

It was decided to hold the annual meeting early in June.