ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13597, 18 May 1908, Page 6

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

THK ANNUAL RLPORT,

'l'he twelfth annual meeting of tihe • s " ,lt Cinterhurv Acclimatisation Society will be LanUrbur Hoie i, Temuka. on held >'» tin • 0 „ m Tin- report Thursday next .it 1• • and balance sheet is a* foUow. - -On the 31st March. 1907, the cuiiem •tctoiint. Ati the bank was overdrawn £63 S Id. with outstanding liabilities amountInn to £29 2s 6d. The sum of £l5O wts on fixed deposit, which matured on 11th Januaiv last, and the further sum of £5 was in the hands of Mr Ja*. •'er. The Council liavo had to expend, the amount which was placed on fixed delimit owing to the revenue having fallen off. as compared with the previous year, bv approximately £IOO. The year closer with a credit 'balance at the bank of £44 10s. and cash in hand £5. , AH liabilities lo date lav© been duly diecharged. The revenue for the year lias been £497 4s 6d, trade up as follows: Members' subscriptions £lO ss, fishing licenses £475 2s 6d, license lake netting £lO, interest on fixed deposit £1 10s, but fees, etc. 7s. The expenditure has been £602 14s 6d, of which £493 5s 7d has been incurred in ordinary working ex-,R-nst:<. £29 2s 6d in paying off account outstanding at the end of last year, £l7 s;* 4d improvements to the freehold property, and £6o Is Id in paying off the bank overdraft. 1 "The saks of fishing licenses, it will he observed, have fallen off this last season as- compared with last year by £3O ss, the total number issued being 618, as against the previous season's 668. In men's whole season licenses there was a decrease of 25. in half season's of 2, in boys* of 7. and in tourists of 18. while ladies' licenses show an increase of 2. The decrease your Council think is attributable to the unfavourable condition of the rivers, owing lo the drought during the season. Twenty-one new members have joined the Society during the year, 14 as annual and 7 as life-members. " The extremely dry weather experienced during the summer resulted in the Opihi (our best fishing river) and other minor streams becoming very low, which militated against anglers, and, as before mentioned, in the opinion of your Council caused a shrinkage in the sale of licenses. From the same cause, there must, we regrei to say, have been heavy mortality amongst the fish in these rivers. Jt was, of course, impossible to prevent their loss, even if our funds would have allowed thereof, but wherever possible the rangers have taken steps to remove fish from the low pools to the main stream. The fishing in the Bangitata River has, on the whole, been very good, and many large basket have been secured. Your Council, anglers will be pleased to hear, have received reports that the quinnat salmon has become established in that river. The sum of £25 16s has been expended in improvements on the reserves, and £37 in erecting a hut at Glenmore for the use of tie rangers and anglers.

"We have had reports during the year that the Thar and Chamois which were liberated in previous years at the Hermitage, were thriving and breeding. We have been unable to procure any Red Deer for liberation. No licenses were taken out last year to stalk these deer ab Albury. Your Council decided to have the season opened this year for two months from Ist April. 1908. %Since then only 3 licenses have been issued. It. was decided to restrict! the number of licenses to 20, and that the names of applicants should be submitted to the Society before the issue of licenses. It has been pointed out that the number is too large, as the country in whicli the deer are is of small extent, and fatal accidents might arise if all license holders were out simultaneously. The occupier of the country also objects to so many licenses being issued, as it might occasion him inconvenience and danger to his flocks. It will be for your incoming Council to consider and decide upon some course for the future which will give satisfaction -to all parties concsraed.

"It lias been reported to your Council that the Canadian Geese liberated last year on the Mackenzie Lakes have been seen with some goslings. The ranger was successful during the year in rearing a considerable number of Mallard Ducks, and these have been liberated in various paris of the district. The parent birds are still kept at the Society's grounds, and it has been arranged with the Wellington Society to effect an exchange of drakes with a view to obtaining a fresh strain of blood. Your Council again endeavoured, in view of the complaints of settlers as to the damage occasioned by Paradise ducks, to have the restrict ion placid upon shooting them removed, but the Government declined to accede thereto. These birds are increasing and are now very numerous. It will be necessary for the incoming Council to take some steps to have them distributed over the lakes, as *t present they appear to confine themselves almost entirely to Lake Alexandrina. " The stock of rainbaw trout which was held in the .Society's ponds. your 1 Council regret to say were liberated by accident, owing to a fresh in the creek. We have n<> fish at present in stock, but representations have been made to Mr Ay son that, the department should return a certain proportion of the ova taken from our streams, when hatched, and he has promised to give the matter his consideration.

"The sum o£ £27 lis 6d lias been paid 'luring tbe year for shags' heads and eggs. Vlie expend i Hire is a considerable drain upon, the Society's funds, and it is questionable whether the benefits (if any) arc commensurate with the expenditure. During the last six years a sum approaching £IOO has been spent- in this direction, and the birds appear to be as numerous as ever. " There hare been no prosecutions during the past season. Your Council still •■imtiiiur to receive reports of poaching from all par:s of the district, but despite the exertions of the rangers, who have thoroughly carried out their duties, it has been found impossible to procure evidence which would justify 'proceedings being taken. In this connection it is advisable that the incoming Council should consider flu.* qui st ion of icwtricting angling in the Opihi and Tcinuka Rivers to the bare fly alone, and without the use of lead, and prohibit- the use of minnow bait, eiiher artificial or natural. Complaints have been very rife this season that fish, notably in the Opihi, have been systematically tuken by unsportsmanlike devices, and caught in a foul way. The devices consist of heavy leads attached to bare hooks, and drawn across the bed of the river. Such practices, if allowed to be continued, must re-act to the injury of the Society and of the district generally, and the only way of coping with the difficulty ia apparently in the direction suggested. Upon other streams in the colony only jly-fiisiiing is allowed, and your incoming Council should have little or no difficulty in having the Opihi and Touiuku Rivers dealt with in a similar manner. " The Mini of £l7 5s 4d has been expended upon the Society's freehold ab T*muka in fencing, etc. At the request of voitr Council the (iovernnient have vested the adjoining reserve in 1 lie Council for acclimatisation purposes. An the expenditure under this liead waa heavier than

t lie finances of tho Society would permit; your -Council decided to reduce the staff to two. During tho year the sum of £265 8s 6d has been, expended, in wages, as against £340 13s last year. The Rangers' duties are extremely arduous, and necessitate their being out at all hours and •in all weathers. The Council consider that tlii! Society is moiit efficiently served by the present staff. During tho year your Council have held six meetings, at which the attendance of members _ lias been as follows:—Rutherford 5, Pringle 5, I'. Coira 5, Palliser 5, G. Jones 3, D. Taylor 6, Schlaepfev 0, F. Brown 5, J. Findlay 6, Hassell 6, W. H. Brown 6, Dr. Hayes 5, Mr F. Palliser attended the annual conference at Wellington. The receipts are shown in detail above, and the expenditure was mostly made up of small sums. The assets arc valued at £609; land and buildings being set down at £387; boats, cans, etc., at £3O; fencing on reserve at £9o y {UkL mounted exhibits at £4O.