The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHEO DAILY. MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1882.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 4176, 30 October 1882, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHEO DAILY. MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1882.

+ A meeting was held on Saturday for the purpose of considering how the funds of the " late" Acclimatisation Society should be disposed of, and the formation of a new Society, when as no one present seemed to know the actual position of affairs, a committee was appointed to inquire into the matter and to report to a future meeting. The Taranaki Acclimatization Society, since it was first Btarted, has paas«d through a curious existence, and although it was established as far back as 1874, the " first" annual meeting did not take place till 1878. At that time, for the benefit of strangers, we gave a slight history of the Society's origin ; and as it will be news to muny of our readers, we may be excused if we recapitulate what we then said on the matter. The Society owed its origin to a desire on the part of Mr. Syme, of Okato, to see English fish acclimatised in our waters. In his place in the Provincial Council in 1873, he strongly advocated the matter, and succeeded in getting the sum of £20 voted for the introduction of trout. Although the Council agreed that this sum should be spent the Executive of the Government then in power allowed the vote to lapse. The follow ing session of the Council Mr. Syme again raihed his voice, and commented somewhat strongly on the matter, asking why the wishes of the Council had not been carried out. It was explained that there being no Acclimatisation Society in existence, there was no one to hand the money to. Several members then took the matter vp — Major Atkinson amongst them — and a scratch meeting was held during the mid-day adjournment of the Provincial Council, when the Tarnnaki Acclimatisation Society was established. This preliminary meeting was held on the 19th March, 1874, and at it Major Atkinson, Mr. Standish, and Mr. C. D. Whitcombe were appointed tv draw up rules, and " authorised to call a public meeting as soon as the rules were prepared, and to submit the mien to a meeting to be adopted." Such v meeting was never called — certainly there is no public record of such an event — but n meeting was held on the 10th March, 1878, wh'-n the accounts for four years were produced, and an auditor appointed to audit them. At that meeting officers wero elected, and se\eral matters were discussed — hut since then nothing Ims been heard of the Society. The officers appointed were as follows : President, Mr. Cavcrbill ; Hon. Secretary, Mr. C. D. Whitcombe; Treasurer, Mr. 11. R. Richmond; Committee, Messrs. Berridge, Burton, Bewley, Cromptori. L'<»l son, Courtney, J. Elliot, C. W.Hurstliouse, New land, O'Carroll. Rattenbury, Tuke, Trimble, Vavasour, B. Wells, Weycrgaug, and T. Wilhon. As the. Society has funds it cannot be said to havu ceased to exist, and therefore only wants resuscitating. Some one must have the books of the Society in which a record of its proceedings has been kept; and if these arc obtained there will be no tlilliculty in calling a meeting to confirm the minutes of the previous one, and elect fresh officers, who, we hope, will succeed in carrying on the future operations of tlie, Society with more, energy than has previously beca aknva,