S. C. Acclimatisation Society.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5011, 20 May 1889, Page 3

S. C. Acclimatisation Society.

A general meeting of the Sout h Canterbury Acclimatisation Society was held at Air Granger’s office this morning, Present : Messrs F. Archer (chairman) A. Perry (hon. secretary), D. M. Ross, S. A. Bristol, J. Granger, W. Bullock, H. B. Sowell, and E. Richardson, junr. Two small accounts, £3 Is fid, were passed

for payment. The chief business of the meeting was to consider a circular received from the Christchurch Society, covering resolutions proposed by Dr Frankish, to the effect that in view of the widespread dissatisfaction at the postponement of the shooting season by the Government this year, a conference of delegates from all Acclimatisation Societies should be held at’Christchurch on the 2oth inst. to propose amendments in the Animals Protection Act.

Dr Frankish’s motion referred to the following matters : —The desirability of fixing dates for opening and closing the shooting season for the whole colony, to be unalterable except by Act of Parliament; the necessity for curtailing the season for shooting native gams; regulation of the sale of game and native game, and the licensing of dealers ; the propriety of making a professional shooter who supplies dealers pay a substantial license; the prevention of shooting on Sundays; the propriety of fixing a gun license; and requiring that all licenses be issued a fortnight before the opening of the season. r ibe circular also requested this society to send a delegate to the conference if possible, and if not that they would send their views in writing on the various points submitted and also appoint a member of the local society to represent them. The meeting took the sections of Dr Frankish’s motion seriatim, and passed the following series of resolutions thereon : “ (1) The season for taking or killing game and native game shall be from the 15lh day of April to the 15tb day of July both" inclusive, and only between the hours of sunrise and sunset, and such period shall not exceed three months in any year and shall be deemed to be the shooting season throughout the colony, and unal- 1 torablo except by Act of Parliament. “ (2) Game and native game to be sold only during the shooting season ; every person selling game or native game or other- 1 wise bartering the same for profit shall take out a license, and shall keep a bonk in which shall bo entered a record of all game and native game purchased or bartered, the district from which it came, and the name of the person from whom purchased ; license for selling game or native game to be £5. “ (3) The license fee for shooting game or native game shall be £l. “ (4) No game or native game shall be taken or killed on Sundays. The next proposal of Dr Frankish, that a 10s gun license bo imposed, was objected to by nearly every one present. It was considered that it would be too much to demand a 10s fee for the gun, besides a 20s fee for using it, and a motion in accordance with Dr Frankish’s programme, moved and seconded pro forma, “ (5) With a view to checking poaching there shall bo a gun license of 10s, to bo paid to the Acclimatisation Society in the district in which the license is taken out,” was negatived unanimously. No motion was made on the proposal respecting issue of licenses before the opening of the season.

Mr D, M, Boss was appointed a delegate to represent the society at the conference. The hon. sea, of the Christchurch Society also wrote in the interests of the fish hatchery, pointing out that the Christchurch Society was £IOO in debt, and unless some assistance were given by other societies the fish hatchery must be given up, and the stock of fish let loose iu the Avon, to be lost. If the proposed gun license were imposed itwould save this important branch, which it would be a pity to lose, as it was in first rate working order and contained fish sufficient to stock all the rivers from the Waitaki to the Clarence. On the motion of Mr Richardson a sum of £ls was voted to the assistance of the Christchurch society. In reply to a question the hon. sec. said this society had never been given any fish,but fish had been sold to them at a low rale.

Mr Boss moved, Mr Richardson seconded, and it was carried “That Mr Perry and Mr Bullock be a committee to consider as to the cost of introducing deer on our hills, say 20 does and four stags ; on receipt of their report (ho chairman to act.” Mr Ross, in moving this urged that deer would do very well on the bills, and there was the more reason for introducing them that other game was decreasing. The chairman remarked that the only “ action ” ho could take in such a matter, would be to call a meeting of the society. During the discussion of the resolutions for the conference the desirability of having a close season for hares was mooted by Mr Bristol, less on account of the hares than for the protection of game birds, as many persona in pursuit of hares are unable to resist the temptation to pot game if they came across it. No motion was however proposed. Mr Richardson expressed the opinion that, in view of the great decrease in native game, it would be a good thing to have an absolutely close year now and then, to give the birds a chance to increase.

Mr Perry believed that poisoned wheat was to a great extent responsible for the decrease, especially of pukaki.