SLIGHT REVENUE FALL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18992, 17 April 1936, Page 10

SLIGHT REVENUE FALL

ACCLIMATISATION FUNDS P.B. SOCIETY'S REPORT TRIBUTE TO .MINISTER A slight fall in tin l revenue for the past year is referred to irt the annual report of the East Coast Acclimatisation Society, now in circulation in anticipation of the annual general meeting, to 'he held early next wee!;. The fnlling-off is mainly due to a smaller number of .fishing licenses being taken out, this in turn being attributable to the unfortunate weather conditions for fishing fluting the past season.

The report notes with pleasure the selection of Mr. W. E. Parry as Minister of Internal Affairs, with jurisdiction over acclimatisation bodies, the new 'Minister's activities as a .sportsman being widely recognised. The report is as under:—

"Your council has pleasure in sub mitting the annual report, accounts and balance sheet for the vear end ing March 3.1, 1930.

"The statement of accounts shows a small excess of expenditure over income of £4 Is '2i\, This is largely accounted for by the drop in fishing licenses, and also to the fact that there is no revenue shown from opossum royalties. These matters are referred to later.

"Dealing with the accounts, the revenue received from shooting licenses is almost the same its last season, it being only £,! 10s less. The expenditure on birds bred, however., shows an increase of £27 lis Kid. This is in pursuance of the policy inaugurated by the council during the past year when it was decided to increase the bird liberations. Actually the amount expended would have been larger but for the unfortunate los. 1 of nearly 100 young birds through bad weather. The expenses of ranging, advertising, etc., show a small decrease on last year.

OPOSSUM ROYALTIES "The fishing revenue shows a drop of £ll 17s lid compared to last year. This is entirely due to the unseasonable weather experienced throughout practically the whole season. The incessant rain in the early part of: the season, rendered rivers unfishable, and they have continued in a. bad state almost throughout the entire season. The result is, consequently, reflected in the number ol licenses taken out. by anglers. Last year your society made a grant- ol £ls to the Freshwater Pish Research Committee's work, but this was notrenewed this year on account of the Government making available a. sum of £SOO from opossum royalties for the research work.

"Regarding opossum royalties, no revenue is shown in this year's accounts. At. present the Government has not decided on what basis, if any, the royalties from last season's opossum trapping will be distributed. 'lt is anticipated that there will lie a distribution ,of a. portion of i! amongst the societies concerned, but how much it is yet impossible to say. So far as our society is concerned, ho.wever, it should be sufficient to couvert our loss for the year into a small surplus.

GOOD FINANCIAL CONDITION "The balance sheet, discloses that the society is in a healthy financial position, .the small overdraft, at the bank being set off by the deposit in the Post Office Savings Rank, £2GI 13s 3d. The accumulated funds now stand at £252 <>s Id.

"Regarding the sporting side of the society's work, sportsmen out shooting report that game was plentiful, especially pheasants, which goes to prove that the society's liberation policy in the past has been sound, It was hoped this year to liberate 350 young pheasants .and an order for this number was placed with the society's breeder, Mr. Alex. Gordon. Indications were thai the order would have been fulfilled, but owing to a disastrous thunder and rainstorm with cold weather following, nearly 100 young birds, a. few days old, were lost. Over 23(1, however, were liberated in the following localities: Orniond yalley, Wainiata Valley, Kaileratahi, Kanakanaia, Waikohu, Whakarau, Tangihnnga. Ngatapa, Waingake, Tiniroto, Rakauroa, Patutahi, I'apatu, Gloneoe and Pviututu. There is ample evidence that the pheasants are breeding in great numbers in their native surroundings, and there should 'be a good season ahead for sportsmen.

LIMITED SHOOTING WATER "Ducks are still scarce, although it is estimated that they are in greater numbers than last season. Of course, the limited amount of shooting waters will always be a drawback to this side of the society's activity.

".Reference has already been made to tTie very poor fishing season experienced by anglers. This has not. been confined, alone to this society's district. Reports from nil over the North Island, especially from the lakes area, indicate that owing to weather conditions fishermen have not enjoyed a satisfactory season.

"Our thanks are again due to Mr. 11. R. Roberts who hatched out the 80,000 trout ova obtained from the Government hatcheries. These were hatched out with most extraordinary success and were liberated in the Ilangaroa and the Wlmrekopao Rivers. Liberations were also made by the conservator of fish and game, Rotorua, in the Ruakituti River.

"Our thanks are also due to the liberation committee of the council, Father Curley'and Messrs. Beer, Pulton and Breingan for the 'time voluntarily put in turning out the birds, particularly so to (lie first-mentioned, on whom tin 1 greater part of the work has fallen. INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT "In common with all organisations working under statutory authority the advent of the new Government

in the Dominion causes great interest to all sportsmen of gun and rod. "Acclimatisation societies throughout the country are extremely fortunate in having as Minister of .Internal Affairs the Hon. W. E. Parry, who is himself a keen sportsman. That he is entering wholeheartedly into his new work is already evidenced by his tours throughout the country in the interest of acclimatisation work, and more recently by his calling all societies together in Wellington to meet him and discuss a wide range of subjects, having in view improved conditions for all branches of acclimatisation work. This conference takes place in AVeUington on April 21, and your society will be represented by your president, Mr. E. W. Nolan. At the annual meeting to be held on Friday, April 24, Mr Nolan will give members an outline of what transpired at the conference. "During the year seven council meetings were held. • "Your council again invites the cooperation of all sportsmen in the work of ranging. Every ljconse-holder is tin honorary ranger, and if licenseholders would report any breaches of the regulations coining lo their notice, action could then be taken against the offenders. "The annual general meeting of the society will be held upstairs in the Lo Grand Cafe, Gladstone road, Gisborne, oti Friday, April 24, .1930, al 8 p.m., when :i large attendance of member..-, i ; ; requested."