THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1911. MASTERTON FISHPONDS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10437, 30 September 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1911. MASTERTON FISHPONDS.

The (Masterton Chamber of Comimerce has' set up o. ,suib-eomimittee to endeavour to devise a ■scheme whereby the, nshipondia and hatcheries- may be retained in Masterton. One would have thought that, in face of the report.of <Mr L. F. Ayson, the Acclimatisation Society would not have entertained a proposal ifior tine removal of the hatcheries. It appears, however, that there is a feeling among .certain members oif the Council of the Society that the hatcheries should be nearer Wellington. In their present condition, they are of little value to any town, excepting for tlie special purpose for w'hioh they are intended. For years past they have been practically jio source of attraction to visitors, for the reason that the (breeding-ponds have been allowed to go to ruin and. tlie aviary ha« been transferred to another district. (Masterton iwould .be glad to retain the fishponds, and the. residents would be pleased, to render some financial assistance'if there was any hope of the grounds being restored to the icoMition in which they were ten years ago. If they are to be 'continued as at present, then it matters little whether they are at Masterton, or Akatarawa, or elsewhere,. It was something like a quarter of a century ago that troutbreeding was commenced in Masterton. The first to undertake the work were iMessrs Thomas Parsons and .W. H. Beetha.ni, the locality being on, the I old Eagle .Brewery section, a ismall shed ibeimg erected for the purpose on tht> bank of a stream that still runs through that property, and is fed (by springs that supply the present fishponds in Chapel Street. From isuch small beginnings grew the great trcut-ihreeding industry that was carried on .so successfully in Mas-

tertom for ma-ny years under the control of the Wellington Acclimatisation. Society. Trout ova and fry have been distributed from, this centra to all parts of the Dominion, and the local streams have 'been liberally •stocked. The result to Master-ton was that disciples of Isaac Walton flocked ihere tfrom all /parts to enjoy the, splendid trout-fishing .which the district has provided. The Wellington Society obtained a lease from the late Mr A. W. Renail, and established the Chapel Street hatcheries, .which were very successfully condutced, first iby Mi' R. McDonald, and then iby Mr L. 'F. Ayson, Jus | son, and tihe present curator (Mr Mill&v.) T!he tease of the grounds (has just about expired, and the property hiasi to be sold. It consists of twelve .acreis of land, and i& in a good situation. The Wellington Acclimatisation (Society is 'apparently prepared to purchase six acres at £750, but the Trustees in the estate value it at £IOOO, and £2OOO for the lot. If the Society is well-advised, it will ,pay the price asked, and retain tha (hatcheries at whiat is 'undoubtedly one of tine most favoured spots for 'tihe purpose in the Dominion. If it will go further and \put the ponds and grounds in order, this people of Masterton will not be fcimd backward in their support.