RAINBOW TROUT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13597, 18 May 1908, Page 7

RAINBOW TROUT.

AX AI'i'KAL 10 THK MINISTER, fNew Zealand Herald.) I'V: r ;i git at many years in the past the Auckland "Acclimatisation Society relied apon brood fish for tlic stocking of its streams with trrnt. The brood fch were, however, liberated when it was found that there iras plenty of ova at Rotorua. For three years the society has therefore been collecting its ova at Rotorua. Now that the Government has taken over the admini>iration of that district thus source of supply has been cut off, and the Society finds itself in a somewhat parlous plight. The petition was laid before the Hon. Jas?. McGowan in his capacity as Minister in charge of the Tourists and Health Resorts departments, by Messrs. E. W. Payton and T. Cheeseman, a deputation from the society. They were introduced by Mr. Alfred Kidd, M.P. Mr. Payton proffered a request that the Kiciety should be allowed to collect 500,000 rainbow trout ova from Rotorua. Mr. MeGowan said the matter was at prcsent before Cabinet. Mr. Payton pointed out that there was urgency. It was a question of getting ova for next season. Tlte collection should take' place in June. Mr. MeGowan: I suppose yoa want thefe 5C0.0C0 ova for sale? Mr. Payton: No. A large portion of them we require for ourselves. Mr. MeGowan: How dots the society get on, then? Mr. Payton: By the subscriptions of members. Mr. MeGowan : You have been getting a fair amount of licenses, resulting a good deal from the tourists the Government has introduced into the Dominion. Mr. Payton: The bulk of the licenses came from Rotorua. We don't benefitfrom them now. It is rather late for us to' do anything. If it were the Government's intention not- to let its have them it would have been more fair to have let us know before. It will take us two years to stock our stream?, and wc shall be at a considerable loss. Mr McGowau: Wc wil help you all we can, but we do not want you to make money out- of u.f. Mr. Payton : The Government has made money oat of tlu.- society in the past. Mr McKowan: What- have the Auckland people done for the Acclimatisation Society Mr. Payton: They have subscribed £4OOO t'i- M». Mr. McGowau: Not your Auckland people. Mr. Cheeseman: Th>» Auckland people iave subscrilied very alrgo sums in actual subscription.", apart from licenses. The society has received for special purposes nearly £3OOO. Mr. Payton: These subscriptions have helped to make Rotorua what it is now. Mr. Chees-enum proceeded to explain the position of the- soci't-y. owing to being deprived of the Rotorua ova be»fs for collecting ptirposts. It would, he said, take the society three years to get sufficient brood tish again. A numfter of yearlings had been kept, and in two years would produce eggs, but in thei meantime the society had got to carry on its hatclieiy. To do this it would lie necessary to have a certain quantity of ova to sell. If the society could get the 500.000 ova asked for it could supply its own streams and sell a few a.n well. Mr. F. Lawry. M.P.. who was present, asked Mr C'heeseman if tho taking of tho 500.000 ova would leave plenty. Mr. Cheeseinan : I should ftav vr>u could take 50.0C0.0Q0 ova. Mr. Payton: Yes. and more than tlmt. Thetv wift bi» more killed during tic fishing wasou than would suffice ir.s t<u times OVIT. 'I he Mrnist-r undertook to have tho mat- ( ter seen to on his return to W*>llingt"ii.