I.—lA.

14

[J. 0. PEACOCk.

Captain Ryan: You made a statement about the revenue from the camps. 1 may state that I lease the lands from the Natives —practically the whole of the land round the lake-shores. And as regards putting up camps and paying for nothing and trespassing on the land —that I do not do. I pay an annual rental. Witness: I did not suggest that you personally did, but 1 understand that all the others are not in the same position. Captain Ryan : I pay the Natives anything from £80 to £90 per annum for the right to put camps there. Witness: There are other people than yourself who have camps. Mr. Hanlon: I should like to say that the Natives on the Tongariro River charge us so-much a week and get a very good revenue.

C. K. Wilson, M.P., examined. (No. 6.) Witness: Mr. lies has asked me to speak as one who has always taken a great interest in acclimatization societies. I think there is no doubt that an acclimatization society would be the best means of governing this district. Take the revenue at £671. I know that during the last twenty-five years, if I were paid for the work I have done it would run into hundreds of pounds. I know all my fellow-members, and wherever there is an acclimatization society there is a keen desire to help the society. An enormous amount of work is done for nothing. £600 under an acclimatization society would be better than £1,500 under the Tourist Department. I am not saying anything against the control, but I am strongly of opinion that if a society of this sort can be formed the administration will be cheaper and better, and it will be a direct benefit to the district. 1. Mr. Payne.] Do you not think that a sportsman's instinct pervades the people in acclimatization societies, and that if the Government were to continue to have charge of that district the sportsmen would assist the Government? —I do not think that any Department of the State can control this sort of thing as well as an acclimatization society. Visiting sportsmen will pay their license fees and will think that is quite sufficient, but the local people would do all they could, more particularly in this district, because the greater portion of their revenue is derived from people who come into the district as fishermen, and every one is benefited in that way, and therefore they would help. I know that I have spent days and days in distributing fish. The Tourist Department cannot get any one to do that. At Te Kuiti at the present time I have offers from people to distribute fish. It is all done from a desire to help the district along. That is why I am advocating an acclimatization society having control. 2. Mr. Robertson.] Have you done anything up at Taupo? —Not at Taupo—at Rotorua. 3. Mr. B. M. Wilson.] You were at Taumarunui ?—Yes. 4. How do the Tourist Department treat the Taumarunui society? —I believe that the local people govern the thing best. I am not condemning the Tourist Department in any way. 5. We have given the Taumarunui society, since 1908. 875,000 ova?—l do not say you have not.

Frederick Moorhouse, Conservator of Fish and Game, Rotorua, examined. (No. 7.) I. The Chairman.] Proceed, please?- I should like to say a few words in reply to these allegations of incompetency. In 1907 the control of the acclimatization work was handed over to the Tourist Department, and 1 will read the letter that was written by the Rod and Gun Club on the Department taking over control: "Immediately upon the publication of the intentions of the Government, the council" (of the Auckland Acclimatization Society) "decided to approach Parliament on the matter. A petition was prepared, setting forth the history of acclimatization in Auckland, and showing the work done by the society since its formation, also fully explaining the disastrous results which would probably ensue if the- proposals wine carried out. The petition had the cordial support of practically the whole of the acclimatization societies in New Zealand, and it was most actively backed up by public feeling in the society's own district, every local committee affiliated with the society supporting it. The petition was duly referred to the Petitions Committee, and a member of the council of the society proceeded to Wellington to give evidence in support of it. The Committee impartially considered the question, and took evidence on both sides, unanimously reporting as follows : ' This Committee, having considered the evidence, is strongly of opinion that the proposal to subdivide the Auckland Acclimatization District, being opposed to the best interests of acclimatization and sport, should not be given effect to, and recommend the Government to grant the prayer of the petition.' It was anticipated that such a report of a parliamentary Committee would at least induce the Government to delay action in the matter. Instead of this, an Order in Council was issued at the end of January constituting a Rotorua Acclimatization District, and placing its management and revenues in the hands of the Tourist Department." The Chairman: This was the recommendation of the Petitions Committee: "This Committee, having carefully considered the evidence, is strongly of opinion that the proposal to subdivide the Auckland Acclimatization District, being opposed to the best interests of acclimatization and sport, should not be given effect to, and recommend the Government to grant the prayer of the petition." Witness: That is so. The Government then realized, I take it, that the Tourist Department was capable of handling this matter, and they handed it over to that Department. Then, at the first annual meeting of the Rod and Gun Club that was held afterwards this is what the