TRAWLING COMMISSION

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 68, 20 March 1919, Page 6

TRAWLING COMMISSION

EVIDENCE CONCLUDED. ADDRESS BY COUNSEL. The inquiry into the trawling and fishing conditions of Auckland is at last nearing the end. Yesterday and to-day addresses of counsel were heard. The commissioner, Mr. E. C. Cutten, presided.

; In summing up the evidence which had j been placed before the Commission Mr. J. F. Dickson admitted that the fishing industry was one of great importance, and must become one of the leading industries of New Zealand if properly handled. Taking this into consideration, he said, trawling should not be allowed in closed bays and shallow waters. Abundant evidence had been ! placed before the Commission as to the existence of extensive trawling grounds. Dealing with the trawlers he said the greatest drawback was the fact that, with the exception of the Simplon, they were obsolete. It had been clearly shown that the quantity of fish caught in the summer at present was not to be compared to previous seasons, and the evidence of several witnesses, including the Government Department, had supported the contention that the fish supply had been depleted in recent years. Every country had passed legislation fixing; limits in which trawlers could operate. If the limits were extended, bigger trawlers would be built, and the industry would benefit accordingly. He Bummed up the case for the fishermen as follows:—Limitation of the trawling area; better railway transportation; subsidies to fishermen; the Government to advance money on the seeurit}'- of the boats.; the erection of fish-chilling and preserving plants at Whangaparaoa and at Helensville, at the latter place particularly; encouragement to fishermen to go in for purse seining; control of the fishing industry under one Minister and one Department—at present control was divided between the Marine, Health, and Internal Affairs Departments; and the I appointment of an inspector of fish.

Mr. Haddow, representing certain retailers, pointed out that the Act of 1915 did not give the municipality the sole right to auction, but erely denned the place of auction. THE TRAWLING INTEREST. In presenting the case for the trawlers Mr. H. P. Richmond first replied to the contention that the trawlers were inadequate. It had been mentioned that the Simplon was the exception tcV this assertion, yet she cost more to run and averaged no more fish than the Baroona, also had to seek shelter in rough weather. There was no evidence in support of the statement that there were good areas outside the present limits. If the Government intended to place restrictions on shallow waters it was incumbent upon them to prove that there were suitable areas outside. The objection that the trawlers were obsolete was equally applicable to the fishing boats, which should be able to trawl in rocky areas not accessible to trawlers. There was no evidence that the trawlers had intensified the position. The Government had been offered a boat for experimental work in shallow waters, but it had not been accepted. He thought it was not yet too late to make this test, and was of the opinion that there were large fish in the Firth of Thames. The present available trawling area was about 200 square miles, the restricted area in the Hauraki Gulf being 600 square miles.

Mr. Haddow, representing retailers of the city and suburbs, deprecated the nature of the so-called expert evidence, including that of the Department. He emphasised the necessity for cheap and good fish, which would only result from a constant supply. The evidence had not proved beyond doubt that the fish in the Gulf were suffering a diminution as the result of trawling, and in view of this the question could not be compared as analogous with the English report cited. Mr. Haddow suggested the following as the predominating phases of the question:—(l) The impossibility of injuring trawling without injuring people who required cheap food; (2) it ou«ht not to be assumed that trawling °is damaging fishing, but official tests should be made to ascertain the facts; (3) sufficient protection is necessary, but it should be limited to providing a sanctuary for small fish'; (4) the moving of the limits further up the Gulf provided protection is afforded to a sufficient number of the bays affected; (5) the cost of fish to the consumer is lower in comparison to the cost to the retailer The trawlers were an enemy to the predatory (fish, catching all species excepting porpoises. Dealing with the question of schnapper spawning in the Gulf, he alleged, that there was no defimtc evidence of small fry having been seen or caught in the Gulf in any quantity. The most reliable evidence regarding the question of depletion was that of the trawling masters, who were unanimous in the opinion that fish l e Jf' B Vi abundan *- X had been emphatically shown that there were supplies of fish on other parts of the coast, and these would replace any inroads made on the supply in tbe Gulf Figures were also quoted in support of the contention that the profit to retailers was small in all varieties of fish