The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1912. THE ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Southland Times, Issue 17025, 25 April 1912, Page 4

The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1912. THE ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Matters' in connection with the management of the Acclimatisation Society have fallen into rather a deplorable state. We do not mean that the Council is inefficient or that its administration has been bad. The annual report and balance sheet do not disclose anything which need cause members of the Society uneasiness. In all branches of the Society's activity a good deal of work appears to have been done and done well. It is true that the revenue from the sale of licenses shows a decrease, but the explanation is patent. During the last three seasons the fishing has not been so attractive as formerly and numbers, disappointed with their experience, must have given up the sport. When we say that all is not well with the management of the Society we mean that it is a matter for extreme regret that the Council and the members should be' divided into factions between which there appears to be a good deal of personal feeling. Loosely speaking, the line seems to be drawn between those who have confidence in ranger Friend and those who have none. It is neither necessary nor advisable to re-open the controversy with regard to the Society's ranger in this column. The facts of the case are not sufficiently well known to warrant comment, and the most obvious fact about the ranger’s dismissal is that the motion was moved and seconded by two members of the Council who were understood to be in the camp of his supporters and was carried unanimously. Two years ago, when a new element was introduced into the Council, it was asserted that their main object was to remove ranger Friend from his position. Since then the salary attached to the office has been reduced and the ranger may also have been disheartened in his work by the knowledge that he did not possess the confidence of the whole Council. Nevertheless it is idle to attribute the ranger's dismissal to the hostility of any particular section of the Council when the motion of dismissal was carried unanimously on the motion of two members whose support he formerly enjoyed. However, the matter is primarily one for the members of the Society who are entitled to ask at the annual meeting for a full statement of the facts. What calls for comment in the interests of anglers is the position which has arisen in consequence of the absurd rule with regard to membership of the Society. The rules provide that license-holders may become members on payment of Is, while for all others except life members the membership fee is 2s Gd. Two years ago, when a certain “ticket” was nominated for the Council, the membership of the Society suddenly increased, and at the election held at

the annual meeting the "ticket” referred. to was successful. A large number of persons, many of whom were not even remotely interested in the work of the Association, suddenly, developed an interest in acclimatisation, paid the membership fee and attended the annual meeting. Since then there has been no visible sign of their interest. Now that another annual meeting is near at hand, with two “tickets” nominated for the Council, the phenomenal interest in the Society is revived and the list of members is increasing rapidly. It is a matter of common knowledge that a considerable sum of money has been subscribed by the supporters of each “ticket” and with the assistance of these funds canvassing for new members is actively in progress. The. election at the annual meeting will not depend upon the fitness of the candidates for office, upon . their experience, upon their knowledge of the Society's work, upon their interest in sport or upon any other real qualification, but upon the success of their supporters in adding new members to the roll. Both sides are working strenuously and it is quite possible that at the annual meeting the real members of the Society, that is the license-holders and genuine sportsmen, will be in an actual minority as compared with those who have been made members merely for the purpose of the election. A rule which, has proved so susceptible of abuse is subversive of good administration and of the interests of any public body, and whatever the result of Friday’s election may be no time should be lost in amending the rule on sane lines.