ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13956, 16 July 1909, Page 2

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. A meeting of the Council of the i South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society was held in the Royal Hotel, Temuka, yesterday. There were present: Messrs J. S. Rutherford (in the chair), Foster, Palliser, Pringlc, Brown. Allen. "Ward. Hassell. Coira, S'.ehlaepfer. Findlay and W. G. Asoinall (secretary). The secretary, said that the ranger had shot three godwit which had been sent to Dune-din to bo stuffed, and when received they would be placed in the society's museum. He had received the head of a fallow deer, which he had seht to Christehureh. where the antle'r> were being mounted.—The action of the secretary in procuring these tronhies was endorsed. The ranger reported on minor works carried out on the reserve, which included the planting of a lot of flax and the eroetoin of notice boards. He had noticed that since the close of the season the Opihi was full of large fish. There Tv oro a -number of Paradise ducks at Kerrytown and so far he had not T-«ticed anyone shootinrr at them, though he was certain that Paradise duck were being illegally shot in the Mackenzie Country. There bad b?en so">e shooting .nfc t.1, 0 Gilford lagoon . and ho would like definite instructions -•>» to tho boundaries of the sanctuarv th"re. At present the place seemed valueless as a sanctuary and might as "-ill he op~n. A Mallard drake had been supplied to Mr ft. McO'loueh "rid a rWk to Mr Kelman. He requested the Council to procure a widgeon drake as the breeding season was approaching. The secretary stated that the insurnnee_ company had refused to continue the insurance on the rangers house at a sum over £IOO, consequently he had r>aid_the premiums on that amount. From what he could gather the paradise ducks were doing a good deal of damage and be thought it a ridiculous measure of the Government, enforcing the prohibition, especially as they had given the Otngo Society'permission for each gun to shoot six birds. Next year would be a close season for all winged game and if the ducks were a nuisance now, they would be verv much worse next season. He suggested that the Government be approached an 3 asked that Paradise duck be allowed to be shot next season. Mr Hassell said the trouble? was that it people were allowed to shoot Paradise duck it would he hard to stop ST 1 s 'i ootl ng grey ducks as well. Mr Foster said it would be better to let it be a close season next vear and make representations to the Government to have the Paradise ducks opened in 1911. Mr Allen said he did not think thov had the slightest chance of altering the Government's stand re the close reason, as lie had had a talk with one in authority, who had told'him that the regulations would not be departed irom on any account. Mr Aspinall said the injustice was that the Otaj;o Society was allowed to •shoot ducks, but the South Canterbury Society was not. - 3lr Allen sa"id that he thought that it licenses to shoot and fish were issued to the police, thev would perhaps get more help from them in detecting poachers and other offenders. He thought the society did not get the assistance it should from the i)olice in the district. Messrs Coira. Foster and Aspinall contradicted the statement that the police -did not help the local society. and gave instances when the help of the police had been of great assistance to bringing poachers to book. It was ultimately derided that the secretary write to the Government pointing out the injustice the society was labouring under, and ask for redress After a short discussion it was resolved that the Government be asked to declare the Milford lagoon "open" and not a sanctuary, as -at present, it practically was merely a preserve for the private owners. Mr Allen spoke strongly against tho

resolution and said the Milford lagoon was a valuable sanctuary, though, certainly not a breeding place. He thought a better sanctuary still would be the Washdyke lagoon, where the ducks bred well, though it would be a bit rough on Timaru sportsmen if that were done.

Mr Palliscx suggested that Otaio la-

goon be made a sanctuary, but it was pointed out that that was out of the society's jurisdiction. The secretary was instructed to write to "Wellington and see if he could procur-; a widgeon drake.

It was decided that the ranger be asked to keep a diary, showing a record of his daily work, for the information of the Council.

A letter signed by 31 license holders drew attention to the scarcity of fish in the Pareora and complained that of the •50,000 fry received from the Government none- had been liberated in the Pareora.—The secretary stated that the distribution of fish* had been made as well as possible. The Pareoora was a boundary river, and the "Waimate Society had done nothing to help, not even providing a ranger, and thev did not see why the South Canterburv Society should provide fish for the YV'aimate anglers. Mr Palliser sai? that the Pareora river had been stocked nine years ago and was very good for a time, but now, what with shags, and poachers and other reasons the snort was verr bad.

The secretary was ultimately instructed to interview the Waimate Society and see if they would contribute towards the cost of restocking the Pareora and discontinue their issue of single-river licenses.

The ranger was to be informed that arrangements would have to be made at a proper season to net the Temnka for the purpose of obtaining fish to restock, the Pareora. Mr "Ward wanted to know when the "Waihi and the Hae-hae-te-Moana had bad fish put into them. He thought ment none had been liberated in these popular streams. The secretary produced documents that proved that 5000 fish had been liberated in the "Waihi. and 5000 in the Hae-te-Moana in 1909. He could not say where the fish had been liberated. Mr "Ward said if the fi=b were liberated about Pleasant Valley ifc would bo a good place as the river never went dry there. Ifc was decided to treat the "Waihi nnd Hae-te-Moana the same as the Pareora, and liberate fish from the Temnka riv«r in these streams. In reply to a communication from Mr McCiiilv, the secretary stated that in his opinion magpies were protected.

at anyrate until the Governor notified to the contrarv.

Mr Jas. Granger wrote asking if he was to pay for filings heads that had not hern recently secured and stated that he would not receive them unless ordered to bv the society.—l'eeeived.

Mr George Allport. under-secretarv Marine Department; wrote asking if the Department could strip 300,000 ov from the Opihi and Temnka rivers. T'(« secretary stated thnt lie bad replied th"fc owing to the dissatisfaction exprc-«ed at the annual meeting against stripping he could not give consent.

A further wire was received from the Dot>art'"ent stating that +he TTakatarniioii river would givo all tlie brown trout ova required except about 20f),-

000 and it was hoped that the society would consent to the ova. being taken from its rivers.

In reply-to this the secretary wired "'.ln face of the discussion at tho annual meeting regret iwablo to coil sent."'

Mr Frank Cameron wrote drawing the society's attention to the netting of trout in Caroline Bay in tho mouth of September last year, when the trout were running up the. coast. He suggested that the society get a regulation passed under section 5 of the Fisheries Conservation Act, 1884, sub-sec-tion 6.—The society decided that tliey could do nothing in the matter. Air Leonard 'J'rinp wrote. stating that, as he was leaving the Dominion for a holiday, he had asked Mr L. G. Reid to act ns chairman of the New Zealand Association in his absence. — Revived. Mr Jus. East's application to be allowed to collect trout ova for the Government in Lake Alexandria was not entertained.

The secretary of the Now Zeah-nd Association wrote, reminding the Srcvty of the annual conference, and asked that a list of the business wh ; "h the Society wished to place before the next (•rnfer'-nce be sent up.—Received. Mr AY. E. Jones wrote, asking fir a supply of yung fish to stock tho Siivenstfenm Creek. —This matter will be attended to.

Th" Department of Tourist .-nd Health Resorts wrote that they had eyed ova of specially selected rainbow 'tr'-i'* ter sale at 10s per 1000. and •'skfd i f + '" > Society required npv.— It was decided to "mke enquiries as to the price of yearling fish. Mr Ward drew atteniion to the need for shingling at Onihi reserve. a"d conveniences for women at the Rangitata reserve.The Timaru committer' were instructed to see to the Opihi mattes, and the secretary to the erection of the conveniences at tho Rangitata. , *Il was s'"r"ostc'l tbnt the ranger'" house should b- sold for removal, and a new one erected for that. official, nnd *hc matter v»s ultimately Wt in tho hands of the T<"TUik-> committee to report on to the C»ii""il. On th-> motion of Mr Hassell. it was derided that the Council mooting o bo held on the second Thursday of every second month, at 1 o'clock Temuka. and 11.30 at Timaru.

A vote of thanks was passed to Mr R. Smith for the giffi of a pair of tame Paradise ducks for tho reserve. The Temuka members were authorised to have tho Temuka reserve ploughed up-and sown down in-oats and grass. The secretary rtat-v] that the o-r' l; t hala"-" of the Society stood at £l7o 2s lid.

Accounts amounting t-> £8 '■ °d were passed f..r payment, and the Council rose.