ACCLIMATISATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13597, 18 May 1908, Page 4

ACCLIMATISATION.

In another column will be found the annual review* by the Council of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society dealing with "fish, flesh, and fowl"; and on the whole it makes pleasant reading- to the many who are more or less interested in" the important stibjectof the preservation and acclimatisation of game. It is not our purpose at present to deal at any length wirn the whole of the subjects brought, under review. Some regret is bound to be felt at the falling off of revenue, but the Society's position is still very healthy, and it i? matter for congratulation that the steps to bring about- certain economies have been on the whole successful. There is just one paragraph in the Society's report that strikes us as of unusual interest. We iefer particularly to the proposal to place certain restrictions on the privileges hitherto enjoyed by anglers at. the Opihi. This river, us the report justly sets forth is the best tivhing stream in South Canterbury, came before the public during the last summer with more than usual prominence owing to the fact that fish had been systematically taken with unspot termini ike devices and in a foul way. We dealt, with these complaints at the time they were made. in order no try and put a stop i<> " unsportsmanlike devices." the. proposal of the Council is to m-tric: fishing in the Opihi and its ivaiv.-'t tributary, l-h • Temuka river, to users of the artiiieial fly. So far a«s we can learn this proposal' i;. likely to meet, with almost a. united protest. The lasttwo sea-sonii owing to the piolonged drought have been abnormal, and .shallow rivers and drying streams have -been in a measure inducements to a section of anglers to take fish by any means, preferably. we regret io say, by foul devices. The memories of several angleis, however, cover many s.fasoiis. and normal conditions go to prove that taking the seasons as a whole, to .restrict- the Opihi to flyfishing would be a great mistake. It is

a. river that many and many a wet season had proved is .subject to periodical floods, and then for weeks at a .time the waters of it are not in condition to cast ;i fly upon. With all the advance of twentieth century science, no man and no body

of men can discount tin'' future or forecast t:h-e seasons, on which the >rtcoes> »»f» outdoor sport depend: and the far. ot two ili-y seasons, ami' l:har ;i, few men who call theniiit'lves anglei* pt-ort ti» illegat §>vactie"S. i.-v held hy many i»> he no giound for a. rviftaUuifur of pre>"nf regulations. There it-; also artorh. r mipoiTan.- view m hear iu miu.l. thai of tinntk . Ihe diy jv.-a.itnis have shown that: tln* i- venue from lir«-n»if>t ha* «litmnud»ed : and if the ptoposod rn-urirtions tire carried. tin- p:otu hilities an- tFi.it till !V\ter iiien: —. will b-' taken out. for many in n. |-..iniuihuh from Timaru, have mt.ie r» a: to uevotus t»> minnow aml live ban li.-iiu:g th::u t'i v have to ttv. !tim t ]v-i . «r iliit!i.> a discussion. of .I:-- proposal a. die ant-.ual meeting will do goo-1, and fh.ii '-Mr decision will l>- i.'ome to ih ;f « iil 11• [> poaching hv hei-n-e-iioliei w it!i.>ui eiirtailing the privilege* rhac. men who t:-l» fail' and follow* the yport for the pl.-a.Miie it hriniv. ate hon-t.-ilv entitl-d to.