The subject of stroke-hauling came before the Council of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. The practice, which was reported to be very general on some rivers, was described as very unsportsmanlike.
The method employed was explained by members, and is as follows: A coil of wire, which will sink to the bottom of the river, is used, and on it are affixed innumerable hooks with the barbs removed. The wire, with hooks, is then dragged across the bottom of the river, and the hooks catch the fish and drag them to the surface.
In very few, if any, cases do the hooks catch the fish in the mouth. By this means the fish are caught by the dozen, no matter whether the river be clear or muddy. It was pointed out that unless the practice were promptly checked it would grow into a big evil and destroy all sport.
It was decided to recommend the annual general meeting of the society to call a conference of the Canterbury, Ashburton, South Canterbury, and Waitaki Acclimatisation Societies with a view to making the practice illegal.
■The ravages of the codlin moth are causing fruitgrowers a great deal of concern, and the damage to the fruit in the Oamaru district from this cause is widespread (says the North Otago Times). One well-known fruitgrower declares that the present season is the worst in this respect for the past 40 years, and attributes the prevalence of the pest largely to its importation in supplies from other districts.
It is said that a great deal of the fruit - particularly apples - coming there from other parts is badly infested with the moth, and whilst some of these supplies have had to be destroyed, there is little doubt that this has been at any rate one of the avenues through which the pest has been disseminated locally.
It is a matter for regret that there is no association of fruitgrowers in North Otago who would take a matter of this kind in hand and deal with it in a practical manner.
■According to an official at the Ngaruawahia regatta on Friday, there is a danger of the most popular feature - the war canoe race - being abandoned (reports the New Zealand Herald). The reason given for this possibility is that the old canoe-builders are dying out, and the Maori of succeeding generations is neglecting to learn the art of canoe-making.
There is also a difficulty experienced in obtaining near the river in the Ngaruawahia district trees of sufficient size for the purpose of making war canoes, which are about 75ft long, fashioned out of a single log. The Tangitekiwi, the finest war canoe at the regatta, was built seven years ago, and since then at every Ngaruawahia fixture has been the winning boat.
On Friday the canoe again carried the victors. Unfortunately, the Tangitekiwi is now in a rotting state, and it is probable that it will not be sound enough to appear in any further contests. It is believed that there is only one canoe-builder in the Ngaruawahia district who can built a successor to the victorious Tangitekiwi.
■Despite his tender years, only four, a Gore youngster had an experience the other evening which he probably will not forget if he lives to be four score (says the Mataura Ensign).
‘‘Grandpa'' was proceeding to water the lawn per hose, and had run out a good length for the purpose. When he went to turn the water on the four-year-old put the business end in his mouth and awaited developments. He subsequently turned a Catherine wheel into an adjacent flower bed.
- ODT, 24.3.1916.
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