The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 1930. "AN ORGY OF SLAUGHTER."

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 65, 18 March 1930, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 1930. "AN ORGY OF SLAUGHTER."

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good. that tee can do.

It is to be hoped that our readers have given due consideration to the facts concerning Antarctic whaling supplied yesterday from Stewart Island by a " Star " special correspondent. Two of the Norwegian whalers now operating in the Ross Sea have come back from the Far South fully laden with oil —about 35,000 barrels in all, worth £1,500,000. There are three large whalers still to return, but they also are reported full, and it is stated that during the sixteen weeks for which they have been working these five vessels collectively have accounted for over 5000 whales. This means that on an average each ship captured 15 whales per working day. One of the best day's " hunting " gave a single vessel 29 whales, producing nearly 4000 barrels of oil, worth at least £15,000. No wonder that those financially interested in this venture look forward to a dividend of 25 per cent on their capital, clear of all running expenses. We congratulate them on their success, but we would be more enthusiastic in our felicitations if New Zealand could claim a share of the spoils.

Perhaps the most obvious reflection on these huge figures is that, at this rate, a very few' years must see the extinction of the Antarctic whale. From the standpoint of natural science this would be a great misfortune; but scientists are in a small minority, and no one else seems seriously concerned about this aspect of the question, in spite of the great material importance of whale oil as a base for many valuable commodities. But apart from this, it is hard to understand why adventurous people should come from the far ends of the earth to draw vast wealth from the ocean in the neighbourhood of New Zealand while we ourselves do not participate. Our correspondent has indicated that license fees are not systematically enforced, and that royalties are not paid; so that New Zealand at present gets nothing out of this " orgy of slaughter." If our people are not. inclined to invest money for themselves in this remarkably profitable venture, surely our Government would be justified in making some definite charge on these colossal returns. At the "same time, the possibility that the Southern whale will soon be exterminated deserves more attention both from the Imperial and local authorities than it has yet received.