FISH AND GAME

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21676, 10 June 1940, Page 2

FISH AND GAME

Question Of Control Ministerial Interference Not Wanted “Any proposals the Government may have for amalgamating Acclimatisation Societies or taking over the control of wild life in New Zealand, should be dropped altogether for the present,” said Mr G. Kelly (Ashburton) at the first annual conference of the South Canterbury, Waimate and Ashburton Acclimatisation Societies at Temuka on Saturday, when he moved that the conference urge the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. W. E. Parry) to defer any steps to alter the present form of control in the Dominion until after the war. There were more important things to be done at the moment than creating new Government Departments. Mr Kelly said, and the whole matter should definitely be dropped until hostilities cease. The chairman, Mr J. McDonald, said he believed Mr Parry had practically decided to take control out of the hands of acclimatisation societies with a view to placing wild life under a State Department. He thought it would be a , retrograde step if the Government took over. Mr B. Triggs said he wondered if the Government had any comprehension of what it would cost if they took over. For the last 11 years they had been paying levies for fish research but had seen little result. The societies were elected by the sportsmen to look after their interests and were doing a capable job. The Government had men going up and down the country, but they seldom attended an acclimatisation society meeting to see the work they were doing. A reliable man should be sent down to see lor himself. “Sport Not Deteriorating” Any suggestion that the sport was deteriorating in South Canterbury was strongly refuted by Mr McDonald, who said there was no deterioration either from a fishing or a shooting point of view. There were more grey duck in South Canterbury to-day than 15 years ago. At that time the society reduced the bag limit from 25 to 10 and the season from three to two months each year. These conservation methods had proved successful. After the erection of a fish hatchery at Temuka 15 years ago, the number of licences was doubled. Fishing was better to-day than it had been in the past in spite of the increase in the number of sportsmen and the use of cars to take them to out of the way parts. There were plenty of grey duck and fish in the Ashburton district said Mr J. Don. They were fortunate in possessing a number of sanctuaries. Lake Heron had been black with wild duck of all descriptions when he visitied it recently. Floods affected the fishing at times but it always came back. At one time the place had abounded with pheasants but this form of shooting was no good to-day because the pheasants had disappeared, probably as a result of poisoned grain. “The Government does not realise that conditions are such as they are in the South Island,” said Mr Kelly, “and this is one of the reasons why the society had suggested the appointment of liaison officers. In Ashburton we are developing types of game that will give wonderful sport in the future Chukor are increasing and the difficult conditions under which they are shot should enable them to be firmly established.” Wonderful sport was provided by Canadian geese which were multiplying to such an extent that runholders were endeavouring to poison them. In spite of this fact the Government had recently imposed conditions similar to those for duck without any reference to the Ashburton Society about local conditions. Thousands of fry had been liberated from the Ashburton hatchery, ind fishing was equal to what it was 18 years ago. The Ashburton Society was to be congratulated on its petition to the Minister opposing any drastic change in acclimatisation affairs, said Mr F. Nash (Waimate).

Meeting of Council Aeinbers criticised the group representation on the South Island Council saying that each Society should be represented to keep it fully in touch with affairs. They praised the work of Mr McDonald as their representative and reappointed him as representation for Ashburton, Waimate and South Canterbury. Conditions in the North and South Islands were entirely different, said Mr McDonald, and the replacement of tlu old Dominion conference with separate Island Councils had been a big improvement. Most of the time of the Council was spent dealing with remit/: and he believed that 90 per cent of these would be better embodied in local regulations. They were just waste of time and would be detrimental to many societies. Mr McDonald said he had suggested that individual societies be represented. but this had been opposed by the Minister and it was doubted whether he would do so. He himself feared that the Minister would take control out of the hands of the societies. South Island Council A petition opposing drastic changes in acclimatisation control forwarded to the Minister of Internal Affairs by th ? Ashburton Society was supported by the Council of the South Canterbury Society at its monthly meeting on Saturday. “It seems that the Minister has made up his mind to vest the control of wild life in New Zealand in a Government Department,” said the chairman, Mr J. McDonald. “My own opinion is that there should be a 10 year truce and that the Minister should leave us as we are.” Mr E. Macdonald said the Society should put its attitude before the Minister in support of the Ashburton protest Mr Milne: Is it definite he intends to abolish Acclimatisation Societies? Except for one article we are in the dark as to his intentions. The Council decided fo write the Minister in support of Ashburton. It was decided to vote £25 to the Lick and Wounded Fund. Mr H. D. Ellis, who was for manyyears treasurer and who resigned at the last annual meeting, was elected a life honorary member. From present indications the objective of 500.000 brown trout ova and 500,000 rainbow trout ova to be placed in the boxes at the hatchery this season will be achieved, reported the curator-ranger, Mr F. W. Pellett, who said that spawning operations had begun, traps having been set in the Temuka and Opihi rivers. White herons had to date been seen in the district and one had been in the vicin ity of Smithfield for the last fou weeks. He appealed for the assist ance and co-operation of all bit lovers for the protection and safety of this particular bird.