Southland Acclimatisation Society

Southland Times, Issue 12122, 30 April 1908, Page 3

Southland Acclimatisation Society

ANWUAJI. G£?T7:?.AL MEETING. This meeting wns held in Allen'3 Hall | last night. The Hon. H. Feldwick I (Vice-president) was in the chair, and there were about 40 members present, Including the members of the Council. AJSfNUAL, REPORT. Tho Chairman merely moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet (which appears In to-day's supplement.). He did not wish, lie said, to make ar.y remarks, because he had been absent from a great many of the meetings of the Council during the session of Parliament. After the report had been duly seconded a general discussion followed on the matter of the hour at which meetings! of the Council were held. Several lay members urged that, afternoon meetings could not be attended by business men, and that the present time of meeting >l o'clock) was therefore unsuitable. Members of the Council explained, however, that as a matter of fact afternoon meetings had been well attended, and that the real trouble was that no hour of the day or night could be chosen Which would suit everybody. The Chairman In putting the question to the meeting, said that there was nothing in the discussion to which he could reply, but no doubt, now that the question a* to the hour of meeting had been raised, the new Council would give it due consideration.—The report was adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President. Mr G. G. Burnes (unopposed); Vice-presidents, The Hon. 11. Feldwlck and Mr F. A. Steans (unopposed); Council (hi nominations) Messrs W. A. Stout, R. J. Gllmour, It. McKenzie, G. NY. .Mcintosh, T. D. Pearce, C. E. Nalder, G. MolTett, D. McFarlane, D. A. Mitchell, G A. Turner, Rev. G. Lindsay and Dr Snow (of these Messrs Stout, McFarlane, Mitchell, Turner and Dr Snow are new members). Auditor, M r Jas. Hunter. Mr G. G. Burnes was not present, but a letter from him was read in which lie expressed thanks for the honour that the Society had done him in electing him president. The two vice-presidents also returned thanks. OTHER BUSINESS. Mr E. It. Stephens asked whether anything had been done towards stocking the country with game such as ducks and geese. He would move .aat it be ,i recommendation to the Council that a mm of money be devoted to the acclimatisation of wild ducks, geese, plover, and any other wild fowl which the Council .night think suitable. lie thought Hie sum of £SSG, now lying to the credit of the Society was too great to keep tied up. The Acclimatisation Society was really misnamed; he thought it should be called a fishing society. Mr J. Kllis seconded Hie motion and ipoke in support of it. He thought that the expenditure proposed would be iuftlcient to stock the country with suitable game, and this might be in time 3. revenue producing asset. In any ease it was time the- Society did something for shooting men. Mr Murphy pointed out that the revenue of the Society was almost entirely lerlved from the sale of fishing licenses, aid it was therefore unfair, he thought, to spend this money in aiding shooting, which provided no revenue. Mr Russell supported this contention. Some arrangements had been made for the importation of a few birds, but these had not come to hand. It was moreover imperative, if the Society was to maintain its fishing at a proper standard, that the output of fry should be increased. This could not be done under the present unsuitable conditions prevailing at the Wallacetown hatchery, and the Society would have to lace a very large expenditure in the near future.

Mr .7. Mulvey moved that it lie a recommendation from the general meeting to the Council, that, in the event of any birds being protected, grey ducks be not protected. The.se birds were well known to be well able to look after themselves. He thought that teal -thould be protected. A general discussion followed in which the weight of opinion was again.it the motion, and it »'a< subsequently lost. Another motion to the effect that a -mm of money be .spent in clearing the Walkiwi stream of logs and stumps to make it more easily ftshable was also moved, but it lapsed for lack of it seconder. This concluded the business and the meeting closed with the usual complimentary vote to the chair.