ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7176, 29 May 1891, Page 4

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

— * • MEETING OP COUNCIL. A. meeting of the Council of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society was held at Warner's Hotel at 4.15 p.m. yesterday* present — Mr W. H. Spackman (in the chair), and Messrs A. M. Ollivier, Charlewood, Marciel, Meddings, Professor Haslam, and Dr J. H. Deamer. Apologies were received for the absence of the Hon J. T. Peacock and Messrs P. Cunningham and A. Carrick. CHAIRMAN. On the motion of Mr A. M. Ollivier, seconded by Mr Charlew ood, the Hon J. T. Peacock was unanimously elected Chairman of the Society for the ensuing year. VICE-CHAIRMEN. On the motion of Mr A. M. Ollivier, seconded by Mr Meddings, Messrs P. Cunningham and A. Carrick were elected as Vice-Chairmen of the Society. THE SECRETARY. The Chairman stated that Mr J. N. Hamer, the Secretary of the Society, was vmf ortunately vmable to attend the meeting, as he had been suddenly called out of town. Mr Hamer, he was sorry to say, found that he was, owing to pressure of business, unable to continue the Honorary Secretaryship and Treasurership. In hiß (the Chairman's) opinion it would be better to pay a man a small salary, say JB2O or .£25 a year, to give his time to the work. Mr Hamer had done the work uncommonly well, but it would be better to have a paid man. Mr Ollivier had offered to do the work as Treasurer, and would do it well ; and it would be better to separate the two offices. Mr Marciel proposed, and Mr Charlewood seconded, that Mr A. M. Ollivier be elected Hon Treasurer of the Soiiety. The motion was carried unanimously. The Chairman read a letter from Mr J. N. Hamer, regretting that, aB he could not give the necessary time to the duties of the Secretaryship, he was compelled to resign. Mr Spackman said that Mr Hamer had carried out the work purely out of love to the Society, and had discharged the duties faithfully. The least that tho Society could do was to pass him a hearty vote of thanks for hiß gratuitous services. Mr A. M. Ollivier seconded the motion, which was unanimously agreed to. Mr Charlewood moved — "That Mr H. P. Birch be appointed Secretary to the Society, at a salary of .£25 a year." The motion was carried unanimously. GARDEN COMMITTEE. The following were appointed a Garden Committee for the year: — Messrs Hunt, Spackman, Meddings, Hamer and Charlewood, with the Chairman and Vice-Chair-men, ex officio. The Garden Committee was authorised to draw np a schedule of duties for the new Secretary. PAYMENTS. Accounts amounting to £24 Is were passed for payment. TROUT. The Chairman Btated that tho consignment to Hobart included 10,000 fontinalis. Stripping hai been finished in the ponds with satisfactory results, and the Curator had made a trip each to the Selwyn and Waimakariri for stripping purposes, but found that the fish were not yet ready, though he expected ultimately to get fair results. INTRODUCTION OF GAME. A letter was read from the Hawera Society, suggesting that the different Societies should subscribe to introduce various kinds of feathered game, including other varieties of pheasant, English partridge, English 'duck, plover, snipe, pied wagtail, and hedge sparrow. It was suggested that the Wellington Society, as a central one, should be the headquarters of the movement. It was decided to reply that the Society had no funds available for the purpose. THE MAORI FISHING OABES. A number of letters from different Societies were received, enclosing subscriptions amounting to £38 6s towards the costs involved by the Maori fishing cases. These included subscriptions of £5- from the Hawera Society, i.lO from the Geraldine Society, £2 lis Marlborough Society, £5 Wellington Society, £10 Hawke's Bay Society, £5 5s Southland Society, and a promise of a subscription from the Gisborne . Society. Cordial votes of thanks were passed to each of the subscribing Societies. The Chairman stated that he understood the case would come up for trial in a week or two, and that, all technical points having been waived, the simple right of the Natives to fish in protected waters would be the question tried. The other side had also given a guarantee not to fish in trout streams until the settlement of the vexed question. THANKS. A letter was received from Mr Forbes, Curator of the Mu.eum, acknowledging the receipt of specimens of trout and several skins of birds and animals from the Society. NEW MEMBERS. On the motion of Mr A. M. Ollivier, Mr Forbes and Professor Hutton were made I t. U n - n /.» *W gr./v*nt.p tr.- ._,_. I

year, in recognition of their valuable services to the Society. Dr J. H. Deamer was elected to fill the vacancy on the Council, caused by the resignation of Mr W. H. Wynn-Williains. MISCELLANEOUS. The Hawera Society wrote, advocating the introduction of the black bass. It was decided to reply that the Society had no funds for the purpose. Mr Hunt wrote, calling attention to the wholesale destruction of wild duck for sale purposes, by means of cylinders sunk in Lake Ellesmere, and in other ways. The letter was received. A letter was received from the Southland Society, stating that four opossums would arrive that night to the Christchurch Society's order. This concluded the business.