58 



THE CANADIAN SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 



salaries to profound teachers who have a sturdy- 

 trust in their hands. Boys and girls at the 

 age of twelve, are apt scholars, extremely in- 

 quisitive, and the information acquired by them 

 at this age is productive of immense good. We 

 believe before the expiration of five decades of 

 time from the present, that the school system 

 regarding Natural Histoiy will be as proficient 

 as man can wish, and that towards the end of 

 the century, many men will make grand pro- 

 gress in this noble science. 



LEASING SALMON EIVEES— THE 

 PEOPLE'S .RIGHTS. 



"The subject who is truly loyal to the Chief Magis- 

 trate will neither advise nor submit to arbitrary niea- 

 suresi" — Junius. 



One who glances over a Dominion map, 

 scanning that portion of the coasts bordering 

 both shores of the Lower St. Lawrence, will 

 notice a number or rivers flowing into salt 

 water. Several of these clear water streams are 

 doubtless frequented by Salmon and Sea Trout. 

 Gentlemen from Europe, the United States, and 

 different portions of Canada have discovered 

 the surface-fishing value of a few of these 

 rivers, which are generally annually leased by 

 the Fishery Department, that the Jesses may 

 derive the sole pleasure of fishing them. Of 

 course, the Government claim the rivers, and 

 have a right to demand a revenue from some of 

 them, but we are informed that there is an ex- 

 clusiveness in the system which the maritime 

 people consider arbitrary. They say the man 

 who is able to pay his dollar per day to fish with 

 the rod for salmon should be allowed that pri- 

 vilege on any of the Nova Scotian and New 

 Brunswick rivers. The Department sustains a 

 staff of employes, as officers, inspectors, fish- 

 breeders and guardians'at good salaries, in order 

 to look after all matters connected with these 

 fisheries. This is a natural consequence aris- 

 ing from the leasing business, and may be well 

 enough, provided it is made to pay. But the 

 Government has a right to keep the people con- 

 tented — to prevent the creation of ill-feeling — 



to see that they are not debarred from a right 

 which was not denied to them prior to Confed- 

 eration. The men of New Brunswick are 

 determined to claim riparian rights, and we are 

 informed that dissatisfaction exists, especially 

 in Campbelltown and neighborhood regarding 

 these restrictions. Sportsmen and residents on 

 the Matapedia, Restigoucheand tributaries, feel 

 greatly annoj^ed that the Department should 

 sustain monopolies, in preventing them from 

 procuring local life comforts which they for- 

 merly enjoyed. We think the proper mode of 

 settling this difficulty is to do away with leas- 

 ing and appoint a resident guardian for each 

 river. When the season arrives let this res- 

 ponsible man be at his post to arrange with the 

 surface fishers, keeping a memorandum of 

 every day rods are used. Of course the daily 

 score will guide him. In this way the Govern- 

 ment would satisfy not only the resident 

 sportsmen, but the manj r visitors who doubt- 

 less would go there as heretofore, to spend 

 money and enjoy themselves. When a gentle- 

 man pays for outfit, railway fare, hotel bill, 

 gaffer, and one dollar per day for his fishing, 

 the amount at the end of the season will be 

 quite sufficient for the pleasure derived. The 

 locality will also be benefitted by this change, 

 because gentlemen who can have a chance of 

 fishing at this rate will probably remain at the 

 river's side longer than they do at present. 

 This system would ultimately do away r with a 

 portion of the Departmental work, as well as 

 saving the country about $40,000 per annum. 



The following supplement to the report of 

 the Minister of Marine and Fisheries for 1880 

 has just been issued . It shows that the total 

 expenditure in the Dominion for salaries and 

 fish breeding for the 3 r ear amounted to $86,162 

 and the collections to $19,423. Thenumberof 

 fish licenses granted was 4,334. Thenumberof 

 fishery offices in the outside service was 594. 

 The total expenditure for fish culture, was 

 $29,109, and the number of young fish distri- 

 buted is stated to have been 21,520,600. In the 

 Province of Ontario, the salaries paid and 

 the expenses of fish breeding was $17,304, and 

 in Quebec Province, 9,173. The collections in 



