ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18821, 9 March 1931, Page 6

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

MEETING OF COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society ■was held in Temuka on Saturday. In the absence of the chairman (Mr T. R Mackay), Mr J. McDonald occupied the chair, and there were also present—Messrs G, G. Lewis. W. S. Grant, L. Trumpet, J. Stevens, and the secretary (Mr B. Hughes). “Little Gulla." After the reading of the minutes, members referred to the great harm being done to fishing by the little B The secretary said the trouble was that the birds were protected, but it was hard to believe that the good they did was sufficient to have them protected when the toll they took on trout was taken into consideration. Mr Grant said the birds did a great deal to undo the good work of the Society in stocking the rivers. Mr Stevens gave an Instance of one occasion in which thousands of these birds had practically cleaned out a hole in which a very large number of trout had been housed. He had been unable to scare the birds away, as they came back in Increasing numbers. It was decided that the question of protection be introduced in the form of a remit at the next Acclimatisation Societies’ conference. The secretary said he had taken j some steps to see, if a South Island conference could be held. At present June 3rd seemed a probable date. Domain Board Suggested. Considerable discussion took place to regard to the position of the Society’s two reserves in the Mackenzie Country for the most part in respect of access to Lake Alexandria, and it was decided that the Mackenzie County Council be approached with a view to having a Domain Board set up to control both reserves. Correspondence. The New Zealand Fresh Water Research Committee replied to a letter of inquiry from the Society in regard to fresh-water snails that had been forwarded from Lake Heron for particulars. The reply stated that the snails were an imported variety, probably limnea stagnalis. These, in common with all fresh-water snails, were regarded both in England and America as a very valuable fish food. Whether or not fish would take these snails when fully-sized was yet to be determined, but there was no doubt that in the younger stages they would be a valuable addition to the food in any case. The letter was received, ana tne secretary was instructed to write to the Research Committee, saying that, in cases, numbers of the snails had been taken from fish. Mr W. E. Boys, late treasurer to the Society, wrote from Wellington thanking the Society for its cheque of £5/5/-. Mr Boys assured the Society that if he could be of any use to them in Wellington he would willingly place himself at their disposal. The Department of Lands and Survey notified the Society of the fact that a portion of land at the mouth of the Rangitata river, leased to the Society as a fishing and camping reserve, had been legalised as a road. Part-Time Licenses. Mr F. Trott, Tekapo, wrote asking the Society’s opinion as to issuing part-time licenses, for the benefit of holiday-makers who might desire to do a few days’ fishing. The chairman said they should ■ leave the question to a larger meeting. However, he thought that any persons on holiday who desired to do 1 fishing either had a full license or were merely asked to do a few hours’ fish- ! ing. It was decided to leave the matter ! in the meantime. . Opihi Mouth. The secretary said that early in ■ February the Opihi mouth had been ; blocked, and the ranger and his as- ■ sistant had given help in making a ; clearance. The job had taken about l three hours, and now two of the men ? assisting had sent in an account for 5 £1 each.

The chairman: “Pretty good for three hours’ work.”

Mr Grant explained that in the past men that helped in such cases hqd been given a full day’s pay, no matter how many hours’ work was done. Mr Lewis said the men had done the work voluntarily, and had no claim.

It was explained that a deputation had some time ago waited on the Society, and it had been agreed that, when such work was necessary, the Society be approached and notified. The secretary read a portion of the ranger’s report, dealing with this question, as follows: —“At intervals the sea puts up a shingle bar which completely blocks the mouth. As a result, sea-run trout, herrings and other fish cannot enter the river, thus interfering with successful angling, for which many sportsmen are paying. Flooding of farm lands also takes place. The opening of the river mouth entails a considerable amount of labour, and as the Society has only two servants at its disposal for the keeping open of the river mouth, and at times as many as six men are needed to get the shingle bar removed, the question of wages for the extra men employed should be gone into.” The chairman said if the Society opened the mouth once, they would be looked to to clean it always.

The secretary read a minute from the October meeting, in which it was decided that the farmers themselves open the mouth, and then seek assistance from the Society.

The ranger (Mr F. W. Pellett) was called in, and said that the mouth had been opened the previous day, and also that morning. It had blocked up overnight. He had not engaged any men to do the work, but farmers had helped. The chairman said he did not know the particulars regarding the mouth. He would like to know if the settlers, or anglers, were affected mast. The ranger said that, on occasions, none of the settlers had given assistance. Some of them, however, had done good work. The river was apt to be blocked up every day when the waters were low.

The secretary said if they started to pay they might establish a precedent, and some settlers directly affected would not give assistance on any occasion.

Mr Grant was in favour of paying the men and giving them some encouragement.

The chairman suggested that the ranger might be empowered to seek co-operation from the farmers and anglers in cleaning the mouth periodically. The secretary said the Society had not paid for ten years. One year it had cost them £SO, and they had decided it was getting rather “rich.” It was left to the ranger to try and make suitable arrangements. An amendment, moved by Mr Grant, that the ranger be empowered to engage labour, when necessary, at a certain rate of pay, was lost. In the matter of the two accounts

for £l, it was decided that these be not entertained. Finance. The treasurer reported that the balance at last meeting had been £438/6/- Since then fishing licenses had brought in £6l/13/8 and fines (nett) £4B/18/4, making a total of £548/18/-. Expenditure amounted to £358/0/2, leaving a credit balance in the bank of £l9O/17/10. In addition to the credit balance at the Post Office, was £6OO, making the total credit £790/17/10. The report was received with satisfaction. Accounts amounting to £25/5/6 were passed for payment. Ranger’s Report. report of the curator-ranger (Mr F W. Pellett) stated that the fences on the Rangitata Reserve required attention. The hatchery was now ready to receive this year's trout ova. A boat would be welcomed for use at Milford Lagoon. Netting at Milford Lagoon was being carried out for the purpose of catching herrings. There were some anglers who contended that this setting of nets interfered with the trout fishing, also that it -was illegal to set them. He understood that a certain person had been legally advised that he could set them, and it seemed that a test case was the only solution of the matter. Poaching was still going on, and some cases had come under notice. There was some illegal selling of quinnat salmon detected during the month. Trout fishing went back a little during February, owing to slight freshes and a touch of frost, but these last few days some catches were recorded, and fishing should improve. Salmon fishing was somewhat slow at the Rangitata. Salmon had been caught at the mouth of the Opihi. Mr Grant said he had been amazed, when he visited Milford Lagoon, to find that a man had a wire suspended from the mainland across to the beach. He had a boat anchored halfwav ao-oss, and was fishing with a net. How were boats going up and down going to get on? It was not fair to other anglers. The ranger considered if they were going to allow netting they should set out a certain limit. The matter was left for discussion to a larger meeting. General. The secretary reported that in No. 1 eeling competition Herbert Williams (Temuka) was first, B. Rollinson (Pareora) second, and Jeffery Wood (Albury) third. In No. 2 competition, Teiorati Paipita (Temuka) was first, and S. Taylor (Temuka) second, paipita sent in 201 tails. Mr Lewis; “Him the winner.” (Laughter.)