RAETIHI

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 299, 17 December 1937, Page 10

RAETIHI

WAIMARINO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY. The usual monthly meeting of the council of the Waimarino Acclimatisation Society was held last Friday evening. The following were present: Messrs. A. W. Ashwell (chairman), T. Shout, J. M. Heise, G. Foster, J. P. Proude, W. P. Mead, F. Todd, and A. C. Henderson (secretary). / The biologist of Fresh-water Fisheries, Marine Department (Mr. D. F. Hobbs) replied to the council’s enquiry about the relationship ot shags to the discovery of parasitic worms in trout. Mr. Hobbs stated that throughout New Zealand trout were | found to contain parasitic worms oi one sort or another, but at present he had no evidence that the infestation was harmful. One parasitic worm which required to develop partly in a fish and partly in a fish-eating bird, such as a shag, was suspected ot being harmful to trout, especially in the thermal regions. A study of reports to hand, however, did not show that the slabby condition of the trout was necessarily the result of the presence of parasites and it seemed at least, equally possible that the parasites found fish which were already in poor condition, to be the most satisfacory hosts. Mr. Hobbs did not think the problem should greatly concern the Waimarino Acclimatisation Society, as the fish stocks affected were principally those that existed in lakes and their tributaries.—Received. The Department of Internal Affairs requested the council to consider, in connection with the open season for game, the question of (1) area to be affected, (2) opening and closing of season, (3) species of imported and native game that might be taken, (4) areas to be excepted from the open season, (5) number of game that might be killed in one day by one person, and (6) fees for licences. The council discussed the questions at length and it was finally decided that the secretary communicate for the view-points of other societies so that there would be co-ordination in any proposals that would be forwarded to the department. The society decided to make application to the Minister of Lands for him to declare as a reserve an area equivalent to a chain on both sides of the Taonui Stream on those sections recently taken over by the State from the Bank of New Zealand. It was thought that this could be done quite easily when the Crown was surveying the property. Accounts amounting to £7 19s 8d were passed for payment.