GENERAL MEETING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6829, 17 April 1890, Page 3

GENERAL MEETING.

The annual general meeting of members was held in Hobbs' Buildings at 8.30 p.m.. About 200 members were pjeaent. The President, the Hon J. T. Peacock, occupied the chair, and read the report of the Council* which was as follows; — "In laying before the members the twenty-sixth, annual report the Council has to call attention to the fact that the prorceedingsof the Society, herein described^ extend ever a period of fifteen months, owing to an alteration in the rules at thelast annual meeting, making the financial year terminate on March 31, and the annual meeting to be held in April instead of January, as heretofore. Ihe Council is gratified to state that its appeal, made by circular in the early past of last year, was liberally responded to, and the Counoil believes that if well-known residents in the country districts would endeavour to interest their neighbours in the Society's work, it would result in securing, through small subscriptions, a goodly Bum of money in the course of the year. By the balaose-sheet^ whioh iB duly audited, and. now submitted, it will be seen tJ&afc although we began the last yeas with a liability of about JBI9O, yet tb.s income of the Society from all Bouyoes. }?a\ gn.a.ble.3 the Council to pay off

the overdraft at the bank, discharge alldebts that had accumulated during the last two years, meet all current expenses, and the Society begins the new year unfettered by liabilities of any consequence/ and is in a sounder position than : it has occupied lor some years. ■ The annual subscriptions being now due, will , be coming in, so that with a continuation ■ of the strict economy which has marked j the management of the Society's works, j backed up with the liberality and interest of active iriends and well-wishers, as shown during the past year by a spirit calculated ; to assist in the furtherance of future j efforts, wo have every reason- to look forward to the carrying on of more extended works, and hope that means will not be wanting for largely • extending the operations of this Society, from the fact that, in spite of the extreme commercial depression under which the Colony has been suffering, the interest taken by the public in the Society has j largely increased, aa shown by the large j addition to the subscribers' list attached hereto. The Council look upon this as a proof that the efforts of the Society are being more generally appreciated, and hope that increased support will come from the farmers, who have been so largely benefited by the Society's introduction of the humble bee, which ha 3 proved to be the means of saving many thousands of pounds to the Colony tor cowgrass and clover seed, as well as securing samples superior to any imported seed. Your Council is glad to observe that the condemnation raised by some people of the small birds introduced by the Society is fast diminishing. Many indeed attribute to their natural habits the comparative success they have had with their grain crops since relieved from the attacks ot the myriads of the all-devouring caterpillar. In pisciculture this last year we have been successful. Although through the long-continued hot North-west winds we lost a large number of brown trout fry, still we distributed 60,300 of these fish, 14,800 charr (salmo fontinahs), 8000 salmon trout (salmo trutta) 3000 Loch Leven trout {salmo levenensis), I 2142 Ehine salmon (salmo lomanus), 181 ! salmon (salmo solar), making a total of 88,423, of which number we received 14,000 brown trout Irorn the Otago Society in. exchange for the same number ot fish from the Selwyn next year. We also sent 3500 lioch Leven trout ova to the Royal Fishery Board of Tasmania, which arrived in good condition. Most of the district streams that require it have been restocked, and the Amuri district had its share, some being liberated in the Clarence and its tributaries, the Waiau and its branches, some in the Perceval and Pry's stream. The salmon were liberated in the Lower Selwyn, but your Council a«e of opinion that net-fishing in the lake greatly militates against hopes of success — in tact, the trouble and expense iB rendered futile, and the long-cherished desire to establish this far-famed fish is rendered more difficult. The question naturally resolves itself into this : Why has so much money, with the accompanying labour and anxiety been expended ? The English salmon were three years old, and the Rhine salmon two years and a half old, consequently had attained a good size, all of them being in a fine healthy condition, but were soon lost to sight when turned into the river. The stock fish in the Society's ponds number about 1280 of vurious kinds — English salmon, salmon trout, Loch Leven trout, brown trout, Scotch burn trout, and charr, besides tench, perch and goldfish in unknown numbers. The number of licenses issued to fish for brown trout shows an increase on that of last season, as also for taking and killing game ; these, with sales of fish and the receipts for queens and nests of the humble bee, have augmented our funds to a considerable extent, as will be seen by the balance-sheet. In May last, a conference of delegates from the several Acclimatisation Societies of New Zealand was held in Christohurchi at Warner's j Commercial Hotel. The deliberations were chiefly upon the seasons for fishing, and the taking and killing of the various game. The greatest unanimity prevailed throughout, and although differences of opinion were expressed upon the several propositions submitted, yet, at the end of the second day when the business was brought to a close, it was generally felt that several good results would accrue from the conference. The Council begs to tender grateful acknowledgments to the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society for its very liberal donation to assist in carrying on the work of pisciculture, and to the public generally for renewed interest in the Society, of which a substantial proof is shown by the fact of having one hundred and thirty-eight subscribers during the past fifteen months, as compared with twenty-six the previous year, and there can be no doubt that it would be better for the public at large if the Society were more upheld by subscribers. The Society is doing a good work with its present operations, but much more might be done and better results achieved if funds would permit, and, in calling on the community to support the Society, it cannot be too strongly impressed upon them that the Society is an actual necessity ; its work up to the present has shown good results ; its future aspects promise much greater, and the outcome of its labours will hereafter be a source of satisfaction and pride to the public. The Council deeply regret having to record the much-lamented death of Mr George Gould, one of the .founders of the Society and one of, its most liberal supporters up to the time o£,his decease ; also that of Mr John .Cowejl Boys, who died just after the Conference, and somewhat suddenly. He was.an old member, and one of the Council for many years. The Council would fail in their duty if they omitted to . advert to the faithful sejvices of the curator. After seventeen y/ears of active service he is still unflagging in his duties and interest in the works, of the Society. The Council wish to.thaab the officials on the railways, the. Union Steamship Company, the Cb.ri3tcb.uroh. Preßs and all others who have assisted) in carrying out. the work of acclimatisation in our district., — J. T. PEAcoCKxChaircaan. Christchurch, April 16, 1890,5' The balance-sheet allowed total receipts .£705 6s 6d, , apd , expenditure .£683 2s Id,, leaving a credit. balance of £22 4s Ed. The President moved the adoption, of the report and balaaoo-sheet. Mr Charlewood aoksd if the Council had seen the repprt. The Chairman, said that tho course followed .from ■ tirae- immemorial bad been adopted.. The Secnobary and himself had been requested to draw it up* and bad) done so.. The Council had not seen it. Tha saotion forth* adoption ox the report and balance-sheet was, after cpnßid.erab]ediscussion,, caiaied nem. con. SXtBGHIGH OF COUNTS, The., meeting then proceaded tsv bheelaction of the Council, Messrs A. Cacrick and A.. M.. OUivier being appointed scrutineers by tie President. In consequence of the 2srge number of voting payers to be examined t&e,oreault ' could not be- declared at the. meeting, and it was decided that it shsmld be published in tho nuoraing papers as.soon as^ossible. On. tho motion of M^ Carried seconded by Mir Perceval, it ttob resolsed— »" That the notices of motion of Moß&Ba.Spaakman and' Carrick, with reference to alterations in the rules, be referred to. the incoming Council, with instruc^ong. te report ttiereon and on the* revisions* ofcth* rules to a general meetings to be called So receive such report." meeting then tetgynate^.