1912 GAME AND FISHEIUES. 71 



Overseer James Gillespie, of Berkeley, reports that, as stated in previous 

 reports, his duties regarding fisheries are more particularly to look after small 

 streams and lakes in his district, and prevent, if possible, the illegal taking of 

 speckled trout. The notices sent out by the Depaitment in April last, offering ten 

 dollars reward for information that would lead to the conviction of any party or 

 parties guilty of illegal fishing in Bell's Lake or Ewart's Lake, were posted up in 

 conspicuous places around the lakes, and in other places in the district, and he 

 believes they were of great benefit in keeping parties from trying to net for speckled 

 trout. Believing that parties from Markdale, who he knew, were on those lakes 

 occasionally with a boat in April before the open season, he kept a watch, and caught 

 two parties from said village with speckled trout in their possession. The fish he 

 handed over to the manager of the House of Refuge at Markdale, and had the 

 parties brought before a Justice of the Peace. They were duly fined and the fine 

 forwarded to the Department. He also visited other lakes in the district at various 

 times. Sometimes he had a boat, and, when he believed it necessary, an assistant. 

 Everyone got to know that the lakes were being watched, and the fact that two 

 prominent parties had been fined in April, he believes, made the parties careful, 

 and he is of the opinion that very little (if any) illegal fishing was done after 

 those parties were fined. He had arranged with some parties near the lakes to 

 give him information if they had cause for suspicion, and in every case when they 

 sent him word he went out, but failed to get any evidence that anything illegal 

 was going on. During the summer he made three official visits to Chatsworth and 

 vicinity, besides being there on other occasions, and found very little cause for 

 suspicion in that locality. In Bell's Lake, herring are very plentiful, and cannot 

 be caught with hook and line. Many parties would like to net them, as was done 

 years ago, and have asked if this would be allowed in the fall. He told them, as 

 he understood it, no netting was allowed without a license, and none would be 

 granted for those lakes. In November of last year, complaint was made to him 

 that sawdust was allowed to run into the stream at Massie. He went out there, 

 and found the mill not running. The owner told him that the mill ran mostly in 

 the winter season, and that all sawdust was taken away as it was made. He noti- 

 fied him that he must not allow it to run into the stream; also told parties in the 

 locality, and he has no complaint since. iSTo angling permits were sold by him, 

 and none were asked for. Trappers seemed pleased that the close season for mink 

 lias been changed, but say there is danger of muskrats getting into the traps during 

 November. Some time after the open season came in last year he was told that 

 a large number of muskrats had been caught during the close season in the vicinity 

 of Kimberly ; it was then too late to do anything, and he was not told the name of 

 the party or parties. However, he has had the abstracts and Game Laws sent into 

 that locality in such a manner that he has good reason to believe every trapper in 

 that locality will know the law; also a traveller who buys fur, and who he believes 

 saw those skins, promised to acquaint the trapper with the law as to mink and 

 muskrat. In other respects he believes the law has been fairly well observed in 

 that district. He keeps his eyes and ears open at all times when out in the public, 

 and has many opportunities of hearing what is going on. Several farmers in 

 Artemesia, Euphrasia and Glenelg townships complain that beaver are becoming d 

 nuisance to them. As usual the notices from the Department were distributed 

 through the district, and posted up so that people should know the law. Received 

 notice on October 30th that a party was supposed to be trapping around the river 

 near Holland centre, went there early next morning, October 31st, to investigate. 

 The only information he could get was from a party who said he found a trap set 



6 G. J". 



