Acclimatisation Society.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 292, 30 April 1889, Page 2

Acclimatisation Society.

A KXICTING of the Acclimatisation Society wae held at the Masonic Hotel on Saturday last. Present : Messrs Espie (Chairmen), Nolan, Hills, Price, • King, Richardson au l Mills. • i . Mr Grant attended in his capacity as Secretary, and read to the meeting the accounts of the three previous years, as received from Mr Dufaur, showing a credit balance of £26 odd.

It was proposed, and carried unanimously, that (all persons taking out shooting licenses for the ensuing reason, should thereby become members of the society, and that any person who does not shoot might enjoy the same privilege on the payment of 10s annually. Some discussion arose as to the cost of licenses hero as compared with Hawke's Bay. It was stated that shooting licenses were now obt linable; as gaz itted, in that district for 10s, where ie here we had to pay £l. It wis cons! lered too late to alter the matter for the coming season. It was decided that the Secretary should, from time to time, advertise the Her of persons who had taken out shooting licenses. Mr Joseph Price proposed, and all the members present agreed with him, that some recognition of the services of Mr F. Dntaur should be made by the Society. That gentleman had really been tha father of the fMSdciztion. Had it not been for his numerous and entirely nnremunersted services, 'hi Society would not now be in existence. He proposed that some presentation bs made to Mr Diifeur out of the balance now in hand, pointing not; at the same time, that the shooting licenses would very considerably swell tbe funds.

After sama di-iquasion as to outstanding liabilities, dso., the matter was referred to the next meeting of the members of the Society to be held at the Masonic Hotel on Saturdev, the Ist day of June next, and it was settled that the Seeretary may convene meetings from time to time as ha may deem neceesarv, but a general meeting of the members of the Sooietv will be held at the Masonic Hotel on Saturday the 3rd day of August next, being the first Saturday after the oonalusion of the shooting season.

The Christchurch Acclimatisation Society last week decided to invite kindred socia'ies to send delegatee to a conference to bo held in Christchurch during May to suggest alterations in the Animals Protection Act. The following questions will De diioussed:—Tbe desirableness of altering the Act with the view of appointing a fixed day for opening the shooting reason for both native and imported game, the day to ba the same throughout the colony, and to be unaltered except br Act of Parliament; the noreuity for curtailing the shooting reason for native game; ths flasirablaness of limiting the perind during which native game may be sold, end of making it compulsory bn licensed dealers to keep a record of game purchased, tha district from which it was obtained, end the names of the'persons by whom it was supplied; ths propriety of compelling a professional shooter who sells native game to dealers to pay a substantial license fee; tbe desirableness of prohibiting shooting on Sundays; the necessity of having a ten shillings gun license with tbe view nt checking poaching; the desirablensM nt having the licenses tor shooting and fishing ireued by ihe secretaries .of the various eooietiee at least a fortnight before tbe respective reason opens.