THE REPORT UPON No. 13 



knowingly take public property in excess of that they are legally entitled to by 

 lease or license are not honest, and when caught have no right or cause to com- 

 plain at being treated the same as other wrong doers. 



The Government in the interests of the general public have been compelled to 

 withdraw the privilege of hunting permits that have been grossly abused by 

 residents in certain portions of organized territory to whom they were issued. It 

 is time the settlers realized how unwise their conduct has been in the wanton 

 destruction of game and fish. They fail to realize that with the disappearance of 

 game and fish in the northern portions of the province, that the tourist would 

 also disappear, and with them the large amounts they annually spend in the 

 province, by which all portions of the community are benefited. The tourist 

 business in the province is as yet comparatively undeveloped. The more I see 

 •and learn of our Northern Country the stronger is the impression on my mind 

 of its special adaptation for a breathing place for the residents of the overcrowded 

 Cities and Towns of this Continent. The increased facilities for reaching our 

 Northern Country, with its thousands of miles of forests, lakes and rivers resulting 

 from railroads recently constructed, and under construction, have been taken 

 advantage of by many wealthy non-residents who have bought property on which 

 to erect their summer houses in localities unexcelled. When we realize that one 

 of the principal attractions to these pleasure seekers is the fish and game, it 

 should be the duty of all classes of the community to assist the authorities in their 

 efforts to protect and perpetuate this reproductive source of revenue so essential 

 to transportation companies, hotel keepers, guides and settlers. 



I regret that the absurd and unwise regulations that have prevailed in 

 portions of Lake Brie for some years are still in effect, by which fishermen in 

 these favoured localities are still allowed to violate the laws of Nature and common 

 sense with impunity. Those responsible for these unjust and destructive regu- 

 lations may have their own reasons, but a discerning public will have no difficulty 

 in concluding that those reasons are not in the interest of the general public. 

 I fail to realize how any matter of expediency of whatever magnitude would justify 

 the issuing of regulations to fishermen allowing them to take whitefish from the 

 spawning grounds during the entire close season. These absurd and unjust regu- 

 lations make it impossible for this Department to enforce the laws in other locali- 

 ties where close seasons are supposed to be observed. No matter where whitefish 

 are procured during the close season, dealers and others affirm they came from the 

 exempted district. The other fishermen operating in Lake Erie waters adjoining 

 the exempted waters, and who pay the same fees, complain, and not without ample 

 cause, at being compelled to stop fisihing during the month of November, while 

 their favoured neighbours are allowed to continue fishing and reap a veritable and 

 sinful harvest. 



Re-stocking. 



The first experience of this Department in raising Bass Fingerlings was tried 

 by means of a pond at Brantford, with results exceeding our most sanguine expecta- 

 tions. At least 25,000 of these Fingerlings of the small mouth variety were raised 

 and deposited in various waters of the Province. During the summer much 

 anxiety was felt as to the success of the venture, and on more than one occasion 

 it was thought that the result would be disastrous, and not until the work of 

 transplanting was commenced, was it known to be a success. With the experience 

 of the past year it is not unreasonable to look for at least one hundred thousand 



