ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144083, 30 April 1913, Page 4

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Acclimatisation Society was hold on Tuesday, a poor attendance of members being present. Apologies for their absence were received from Messrs. C. Young, A. Bewley, and Wi Ogier. The annual report and balance sheet, which have already been published in tlie Herald, wore then read. In moving thoir adoption, the president (Air. J. E. Wilson) said matters in regard to fishing had improved since last year, and they could, now say they had broken tho back of the problem of stocking the streams, and he had every hope that their district would soon become one of tho most popular fishing districts in the Dominion. With regard to tho other branch of the society, the shooting was not everything they could have wished, but he hoped they were going to do something substantial this year. They had tried to obtain stock birds from Auckland last year, and had wired for the birds, but had found .that they were not obtainable. They had a few birds of their, own, and had been given some by Air. Boddnm. These were put in pens in tiro hatchery, and they got about 400 eggs from the birds, but. he was sorry to say had done no good with them, as several of the eggs had proved unfertile. They had, however, obtained some good broods, but when they were penned up they died off. and ns a result they had cuiy about a dozen birds now. It was forced upon him that unless they could command a sufficient amount of money they could not expect to do. much with the game. They had in Air. Scale a man at the hatcheries who was quite .competent, hut ids time had to ho given up to the fishery department, the work for which he was engaged, and lie had not time to give up to tho care of many birds, and unless they had a man to look after the birds they could not hope to do any good. They would endeavour in tho coming year to rear more birds, and he hoped for hotter luck in the coming "season, hut with the want of money it.was not likely that they would be very successful. ' A matter that had been left to the council was the setting up of .wards and sub-committees, but tap society had not done its duty in this respect. However, he was glad to say that ns far as the Okato district was concerned the license-holders were beginning to move on their own. Ho had received a letter from Air. Booker asking that a sub-committee bo set up there. They already had sub-committees at Tanki and at Inglewood, and the Tariki one was-a live one. Air. C. Young looked after that. Ho thought they might do something also at Opunako. He, was sorry to sly an idea had got about there that their district was not considered at all, but when they'found the society Were distributing fry there.'they wore very glad. They could, he considered, get a live committee down there. The society would not be. able to appoint rangers, but if they got license holders throughout tho district ho hoped this would.come later on. They had a credit 'balance of'£l6 6s 6d cash in hand, and there was '£so owing for ova to the Government. The position was this, they owed £SO in 191- and £SO in 191213." They could not pay this amount, and made application to the department for a loan of £2OO with which they Imped to put the society on a good footing, but they could not get this. They owed the Marine Department £SO also fur ova, but through' the kindness of .Air. H. Okey, ALT., the department had not enforced payment of this amount. The financial position although looking bad would practically square itself when they got the Government's promised grant of £IOO. The Tourist Department, in recognition of the, good work they had done, had shuck off the amount owing to them. The society had received £'BC os from fishing licenses and about £lO from shooting licenses. They had as a yearly liability £7B per annum to pay for tho curator’s services—a very small sum for such an experienced man as Air. Seale. Tho cost of distributing the fish had been £23 this year, which, with other expenses, left but £2O with which to procure ova for next year. The question they had to consider was how to get over'this difficulty. They wanted a revenue of at least £IOO a' year more than they had to carry on properly, for they must continue the hatching of fry here. Last vear they had hatched 200.000 ova, and they did not want to git below that figure in tho future. Next year he hoped to sec a larger number of anglers on the streams, which would mean more revenue. ,

Sir., A. H. Johnstone said the work the society had done bad been of a highly creditable nature. They were very fortunate in having a man of Air. Seale’s ability at the hatcheries, whoso work there' had. been largely a labour of lore. Members of the society had not encouraged his efforts as they should have done by going up more frequently to the hatchery. The financial side was very unsatisfactory. .Members of the council had not attended meetings regularly. The position was not more satisfactory than'it was Inst year in regard to the hatching of game birds, which required very delicate handling, but in this regard also Mr. Scale’s work was very satisfactory. Their chief revenue for some time to come must bo derived from fishing'licenses, and the expense incurred on the hatcheries would be lost if they did not comtinuq .to hatch in largo numbers. Fish-poaching undoubtedly took place, but not to the same extent as game-poaching. He regretted the lack of enthusiasm shown. Mr. 0. N. Firth said large numbers of birds died from the effects of handling. Out of a dozen birds put in a box and taken to the hatchery, nine were found to be dead when they got there; The. only way he could see to save the birds was to take the eggs out to farms and hatch them there and let them run about with-the hens.

Air. Seale explained the mode of raising ' birds in the Government hatchery, which was subsidised by the Government to the extent of £IOO and turned out 2-50 birds per auuni. The society now had four cock birds and eight liens. Air. E.' AAHiittlo said that he would like to see a ranger appointed, if for one month only.

Air. A. H. Johnstone said that the position was that the society had no funds. Had they sufficient money, lie would like 'to see tlio country well stocked with birds. As things were, lie thought they ' should first of all stock the rivers properly, as they had money invested in the hatchery. Air. Seale thanked , the different speakers for the kind expressions of confidence, they had made .use of. . Fishrearing was a hobby of his, and he spared no time or trouble in doing his best, and would continue to do so.

With regard to the rearing of birds, it was impossible to- do tins without proper accommodation. He thought that when the rivers were well stocked, numerous tourists would come and stay in New Plymouth for. weeks for the rainbow fishing, and that tho stocking of the rivors'was tho very best thing that tho society could do. ■ ELECTION OP OFFICERS. The following officers were elected for tho ensuing year:—President', Air. J. E. Wilson; vice-presidents, Messrs. AY. L. Newman ancf C. Young; secretary and treasurer, Air. O. Firth; auditor, Mr, AY. P. Nicol!;, council, Alcssrs. A. H. Johnstone, L. B. AVebstcr, AY. Ogier, L. Rea, E. Whittle, and A. Bewley. The Chairman moved that the rule regarding membership he supplemented by tho addition of the following dense: ‘•Any person .bcooming a member of the society as a license-holder either to shoot game or take fish, who shall in any subsequent year cease to bo a license-holder, shall thereby, cease to he a member of tho society.”—This .was carried.

... Tho question of appointing a ranger for tho whole of the Taranaki district came up for discussion, it being pointed out that the expense-of such a ranger should bo equally divided between tho three societies of Hawera, Stratford, and Taranaki. Air. Whittle thought that the district was too for the work of one man to be effective, and Air. AYebster supported the objection, and suggested that the society should appoint a ranger for one month. Mr. Firth supported this view, and moved in this direction, the motion being carried.

Ah. E. Whittle suggested that an exhibit showing the various stages of th? hatching of fish, from the ova to the fry, ho made at the l forthcoming Winter Show.- Similar exhibits had been made at Hawera -and hadattracted great interest.—lt was decided to net on the suggestion. . * Air. E. AVhiltic said he considered that tho pea riilo was the biggest poacher which the .society had to contend with. Nearly every paper you took, up contained an account of some poor unfortunate hoy having been shot by this deadly weapon. He moved that it ho a recommendation: to tho incoming committee that the ‘following motion be submitted to the annual conJerenco; “That the attention of the Government bo called to the increasing number of casualties arising from the indiscriminate use of the poa rifle and other firearms, and that it be a recommendation vliat legislation he introduced providing for a gun tax or license.”—Carried.

A bonus of £lO 10s was voted to tho secretary (Mr. O. N. Firth) for his services during the past year. A vote of thanks to the chairman brought the meeting to a close.