MAORILANO ATTRACTIONS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10141, 30 August 1904, Page 4

MAORILANO ATTRACTIONS.

TROUT-FISHING AND BIG GAME.

IMPORTATION OF SPORT

ANIMALS,

I'lie Touritft and Health Resorts report, la,id before Parliament on Friday, makes some interesting references to sport m Maorilaud.

The systematic restocking of our trout streams and the further provision of "big game" is a. work which m the opinion of the superintendent is second only m importance to the conservation of our magnificent natural scenery and thermal wonders. The excellent trout-fishing and deer-stalking now possessed by New Zealand axe attractions which are annually drawing visitors m increasing numbers from Great Britain, Europe, India, America,, and the Australian States.

While it "us satisfactory to find New Zealand am furnish the angler with better trout-fishing than any other part of the world, care must bo taken not to unduly deplete the supply. Many auglers fail to exercise any moderation or forbearance m their fishing. Without laying down, an- arbitrary rule on the subject, sportetnent may be reminded that the useless destruction of fish is opposed to all tlie inßtiuejts of true sport, and they should place a reasonable limit on their catches.

A cumewhat similar lxanai-k may be applied to wild-duck shoot-ing. Enormous bags are reported to have>. been made, by individual sportsmen on : such fawrito shootiug places as Lake Elflesmere. Much of the- shooting done is for tho market, and it appears desirable- tb a.t there should be some restriction m order to prevent such wholesale slaughter us now takes place on certain- shooting-grounds every season.

Some more systematic method is also greatly needed to prevent po, idling, which is carried on m a wholesal c manner m many districts. As pointed out m the Department's last annual mport, much might be done m utilising the services of members of the police force, stock inspectors, a»d rabbit agents to prevent breaches of the AnimaLs' Protection) Act and Fisheries Conservation Aats. The dates for opening and. closing of the lushing seasons require amending. The season, especially m the northern districts., opens too early and closes too late. At Kotorua the fish lia-vo not ceased spawning on. the Ist Oatober, and they have commenced again before tho season lias closed. The seasotti m this district should certainly not be loefore the Ist November, and should closii on tlie 31st Maa-ch.

The. trout-fishing at Rotorua. huus been l»xticiilarly good diving the 19&3-4 season. At tlie suggestion of this .Department a register was kept showing the catches made ia Rotoaw Lake ancl adjacent waiters. At the close of the i season the record showed that 6952 taowt had been, caught, aggregating m weigh t 13 tons 13cwt 3qr 21*lb. Amongst" the fish taken were many weighing 121 b to 181 b. Jinonnous as the registered <;atch i was, it is considered tliat probably a. lihird more was actually taken, us many fishermen failed to supply the required particulare. The total quantity of tnout taken from the Jukes and, streams ia ti'iis district is, therefore, calculated a,t blo;ie on twenty tons. Many. of the greatest catches we te made by trolling on tlie lake. The ijuperintendent is of opinion that indisvrjininato trolling, with a bait, should not be permitted. There is much excellent fishing at Rotorua, which is proving a great attraction to visitors from abroad, but if the indiscriminate trolling is allowed to rfjSntinue it. is very probable that the fish. , jng will not remain good for more than a few seasons. 'He recommends t:hat a, i-rolling area iv the lake should be strictly defined.

_ The matter of introducing new varieties of game suitable for nigged and nonsettled regions ia receiving attention. Several valuable gifts of sport aninsials have been received. Recently five "thai*,'' or Caucasian mountain goats, presenjeed by the Duke of Bedford, arrived filom London by the s.s. Oodnthic. Six goiits were originally shipped, but one was lost overboard. The thar are now on Som as Island, and it is proposed to liberate the m inUlie early spring ia same mounttainotus country not 1 yet decided on. Those animals axe 'similar m. their ha.bit* to tlie Spanish wild gaat. Their most, distinn*t.ive feature is this horns, which are blauk and lad'g«., aud idivected upwards aiwi backwards m a. single plane, with thrtips widely sepanjited aud -generally directed downwards. • Tlie base section of the horns is triangular, aud ornamented m front with knobs . Six Japanese deer,

aJso presented by the Duke of Bedford, are expected by an early steamer. The thanks of the Government are due to Mr St. George Littkxlak foa 1 the very valuable assistance he has given, m obtaining t'liicso line sporting animals. A number of wapiti, the large North American deer (Cbrvus canndensis) have been presented to tlie colony by President Roosevelt, of the United States. Inspector Moorhouse, of this Demrtanent, has been sent to America for tl\e purpose of attending to their safe transport. When these animals have increased m sufficient numbers, they will provide excellent sport., both for our own people and for visitors from abroad.