The Timaru Herald. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1903.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXIX, Issue 12189, 6 October 1903, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1903.

The Government are singularly unfortunate in regard to matters in which,' the Acclimatisation Societies are interested. They have made a complete muddle of the troutfishing license question which is dealt with in the Fisheries Conservation Act Amendment Bill now before the House, and which had much better have been left alone. Goodness only knows how things will be finally straightened out, but meanwhile there is intense dissatisfaction on all hands. People have taken out licenses under the regulations which were recently gazetted, and now entirely different arrangements are provided for in the Fisheries Conservation Act Amendment Bill which is before the House of Representatives. The Bill has passed the committee stage, and it was expected that it -would be read a .third time yesterday , evening. . -However, when it was called on, there was a further postponement, which was possibly the result of protests from the Acclimatisation Societies. We see by yesterday's n Otago Daily Times" that on Saturday the president of the Otago Society sent the following telegram to the Premier:—"Acclimatisation Society strongly protests against reduced licenses. The scale fixed by the Wellington Conference, and practically agreed to by the Government, is necessary ta enable the Society to fulfil its functions, Reduction of licenses deprives ithe Society of half its revenue. . This means a, large curtailment :of operations, and possibly an entire stoppage. Licenses have already been , issued on the scale arranged by the Government. Please ,get fees replaced or

withdraw the Bill." v Other Acclimatisation Societies liave beea communicated with, and have most likely taken action in the s"ame direction. When tfie Premier postponed tlis motion for the third reading of the Bill, he intimated that " the Government had under consideration the advisability of taking over the -whole work of the Acclimatisation Societies." Something to' the same effect was said in the House by Sir, Joseph Ward on Friday last; and the announcement immediately elicited hostile/outside comment. On this subject the-. Wellington correspondent of the "Pres3," says:—"Sir Joseph Ward stated I it was not-intended to pass the Bill -this |

session, but that it would be printed and circulated, it could be dealt with next session. At present a large number of very capable men in nearly; every district are devoting u good deal of their time Ito the work of acclimatisation, whereas if their services were? dispensed with a' new and somewhat expensive department would, under the new idea, be added to our State institutions. On the other hand the new departure would mean a considerable increase of revenue to the Government. All the revenue of the societies now ; goes in the direction of aiding acclimatisation, but under a Government department a good deal more would be required for management. The r.ew position that has arisen is a very unsatisfactory one, and it behoves Acclimatisation I Societies to bestir themselves." We take | it that only the first sentence of the paragraph which we have quoted refers to what Sir Joseph Ward said, and that the remaining sentences are remarks by the correspondent. He is perfectly right, but he might have written much more strongly. There is no valid reason for sweeping the Acclimatisation Societies out of existence and we are very sure that their place would be but ill supplied' by Government officials. All the New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies have worked most assiduously, and ja spite of a few minor failures and mistakes, have conferred great benefits on the colony. It .would be a poor return for their disinterested labours, extending over a long "series of years and continued sometimes in the face of great and most disheartening. difficulties, ifthe.Government ■wiped them, out and attempted to take up their work. Under tlie present System the colony gets the benefit of the experience, and local knowledge of a' considerable

number of gentlemen who are thoroughly •interested in what they are doing. A Government Department would not enjoy the same advantages. Even if the members of the defunct Acclimatisation Societies were asked to take part in the new order of things, very few of them would consent to occupy a position in which they would be dominated by the Government and possibly by the Government's local subordinates. What the Premiec would gain would be some .more patronage, for there would-be paid inspectors and other officials to be appointed, and care would be taken that they were all of the right colour. No one but a very credulous person would expect the change to be for the better. We do not hesitate to express our belief that under Government supervision the splendid liver fishing of New Zealand would' become a thing of the past. It is to be hoped that if the threatened Bill is circulated, the public will let the Government, understand that they had better drop the subject, and allow matters to continue in their old course. ,