ACCLIMATISATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19827, 29 April 1927, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION

SOCIETY’S ANNUAL REPORT A STRONG POSITION. That tho Wanganui Acclimatisation Society is in a particularly strong position for carrying out a progressive policy is stated in the report which will be presented at the annual meeting of the body to-night. The report runs:— The income for the year amounts to £485 13s 7d, while the expenditure amounts to £283 7s 4d leaving an excess of income over expenditure of £202 Gs 3d. The accumulated funds now stand at £799 10s 9d, with liabilities nil. The Society was again successful in raising a large number of game birds for distribution throughout the district. About 200 young pheasants are now on hand and will be liberated at the close of the shooting season. Stoats, weasels •and other vermin, however, continue to take a heavy toll on the game and nullify to a large extent the .Society’s good work. This is a matter which has caused the Council s6me concern, as it is a question worth considering whether the present policy is the best to pursue. Grey duck have done well, and numbers are to be seen on the various lakes in the district, and the Council looks forward to the coming shooting season to provide good sport. It was suggested by the Government this year that Acclimatisation Societies should place no restriction on the number of deer allowed to be taken by license holders this year, and that there should be no limit to the number of licenses issued. The Society agreed to the latter portion of the request, but it was felt that the first portion of the request was intended to apply only to red deer which are recognised as destructive. The Society, therefore, requested the Government not to take the restrictions off the fallow herds in this district, which request was acceded to. The Fisheries Department continues to carry out the policy of Mr. L. F. Ayson, Chief Inspector of Fisheries, for intensive stocking of the Wanganui River with Atlantic salmon fry. The work was commenced in 1924, since which the following fry have been hatched at the Waitea Hatchcry and liberated in the upper reaches: 1924, 630,000; 1925, 450,000; 1926, 610,000. Mr. Ayson is hopeful of being able to liberate about three-quarters of a million this year. It is expected that there will be some evidence of the successful establishment of the salmon next year. Reports have been received of salmon having been caught in the river, but no specimen has yet been definitely identified as the Atlantic. The Society was not able to liberate the usual quantity of young trout this year. The usual order was placed early with the Ilawera Society, but owing to unfortunate circumstances at the ilawera Hatchery the whole of their stock was lost, and it was not possible to procure stock elsewhere. However, an extra quantity was procured this month and successfully liberated in the Hautapu and Mangawhero streams. The Government introduced regulations providing for payment of a special license to fish at Taupo to provide the funds necessary to make payments to the natives of the annual sum agreed on with them. The fees payable by residents of New Zealand other than those in the T;<ipo districts were: Whole season £3, weekly £l, daily 7s 6d. However, just recently amend mended fees, as follows, have been gazetted: Whole season £3, weekly 10s, daily 3s 6d. As

compensation for the extra tees charged it is to be noted that the Government has constructed roads and paths in the Tongariro delta, opening up waters which were not previously accessible. The revenue derived by the Society from opossums last season constituted a record. The number of licenses taken in this district exceeded any previous season. Heavy toll has been taken during the last few years, but they still seem to hold their own. As in previous years, tho quality of the skins and the get-up compared more than favourably with other districts and prices for Wanganui skins invariably topped the market.