ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143770, 19 April 1912, Page 6

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. The annual general meeting of the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society was held in the Town Hall on Thursday evening, a good attendance of members being present. The president, Mr. J. E. Wilson, was in the chair. The report and balance-sheet, which appeared in our Tuesday’s issue, was presented and discussed. The Chairman, in moving its adoption, said that they had had a fairly good year, but not so good as had been hoped. They had, however, carried out what they had outlined. They had hatched 200,000 ova, and this number could bo increased this year. Between 60,000 and 70,000 fish had been put into the streams. They had at last made a start with the game, but had been very unfortunate, however, with the incubation. It had been hoped that they would have been able to have turned out at least 50 or 60 birds. A number of eggs had been obtained from a gentleman at Inglewood and put in an incubator, but probably they did not know a- great deal about it, for they went to work on the assumption that it took three weeks to hatch out the chicks, but found oat, by some which had been set under hens, that it took four weeks. The eggs in the incubator had been chucked out as infertile. They had, however, a few cock and hen birds and some healthy chicks, so they hoped that next year they would be able to report a substantial improvement in this branch of their work. The finances were in their usual tender condition. They had paid off all their debts except the money owed to the Government for ova. They never had enough money to do anything with, and had applied to the Government for a grant, and they had not been actually turned down. One way to increase their income was by getting honorary members, hut it was late now in the financial year, and they had not yot made an active canvass, but were going to do so, for they had a good cinim on the people of the district. If they could establish good fishing and shooting in the neighbourhood it would be of groat help to the Mountain House. Tourists would not oomo just to look at tho mountain, and they would attract numbers of.people who would otherwise pass us by if they could offer them good sport. Townspeople could well afford to become members of the society, as an influx of visitors would put money into their pockets. The membership fee was a trifling one (os), and they expected to get, this year, a good number of subscriptions, He would be glad to hear any one who wished to speak on the report and balance-sheet. Mr. Butcher said that it seemed to him to be a somewhat one-sided affair, spending so much money on fish and so little on game. , Ho thought that they should appoint rangers. He suggested that all the shooting license fees should bo spent on birds. Mr. 0. Firth explained bow it was that they had had such bad luck with the hatching. They had got tho eggs, but it was some time before they could obtain a sitting bon. A gentleman had offered to incubate them for the society, but the result was only one chick. Sonic of the eggs which had been put under hens bad done well, thirteen out of one setting hatching, and but two out of another, while another setting of thirteen eggs produced no chicks. Mr. A. H. Johnstone asked that the balance-sheet should be read, and after this had been clone, speaking to the motion, said that ho considered that the council had done moro work in incrcasims tho ova and in hatching out game chicks than it had ever done in the post. The Cxpgn.'e incurred on the hatcheries was a non-recurring one. They had a, man of great experience there, who considered the hatchery a good one. They had bought 100 eggs the previous year, and had had the same experience with them as this year. They now had a good opportunity of rearing birds in n satisfactory manner. He would like to sec more done as regarded the pheasants, but the quail were sufficiently numerous. He thought that before long they would be able to batch out pheasants in satisfactory numbers, which it had been quite impossible to do last year. If anything could be done it should be done for tho shooting members, and if he were re-elected on the council he would endeavour to have something accomplished on their behalf.

Mr. Butcher risked if there was any hope of their having the shooting license spent on game in the future. The Chairman, however, did not hold out any hope for this. No further discussion on the report and balance-sheet being forthcoming, ho moved that the report and .balance-sheet he adopted. This was seconded by Mr. B. Tippins and carried. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year; —President, Mr, J. E. Wilson ; vice-presidents, Messrs. W. L. Newman and 0. Young; secretary and treasurer, Mr. 0. N. Firth; council, Messrs. A. H. Johnstone, E. S. Bnylcy, L. B. Webster, E. Whittle, C. M. Hill, and W. Ogier; auditor, Mr. \V. F. Nicoll. GENERAL BUSINESS. Air., L. B. Webster suggested that the district should be subdivided into smaller districts, each of which should be controlled by a sub-committee, the chairman of each of these committees to be an ex officio member of the counoiL The Chairman strongly supported this idea, and said that if it were carried out ho would make it his business to go down and attend meetings of the subcommittees and help them to put things into line. This system was in vogue in the Wellington district, with good results. After some more discussion on the subject Mr. Webster moved, seconded by Mr. Young, that it be a recommendation to the council to divide the district into wards, and that it bo loft to the incoming council to give effect to the matter. Mr. Butcher moved that the incoming council endeavour to secure up to 20 pheasants for breeding purposes, four hens to each cock.—Carried. The Chairman,, in proposing that a bonus of £lO 10s be voted to the secretary, Mr. 0. N. Firth, for his conscientious work, remarked that the funds did not at present admit of tho amount being paid, but that this should be done when they had the available cash in hand.—Carried by acclamation. Considerable discussion took place with regard to tho setting apart of certain streams for fly fishing only. Opinions pro and con were freely expressed, but no motion was put before the meeting dealing with the subject. The usual vote of thanks to the chair terminated the meeting.