LEVIATHAN AND LEAGUE

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 98, 27 April 1937, Page 6

LEVIATHAN AND LEAGUE

(By LESLIE R. ALDOUS.)

Clreat Britain has taken an important stei> with regard to conserving , the natural wealth of tlio soa by extending the 1031 convention for the regulation of whaling to Xewfoundlanil and a lone list of British colonics, protectorates nnd mandated territories. Two yours ano it was tlie British fiovermnent's ratification wliicli brought this international agreement into force. At that time the influence of the move initiated by the League of Nations was considerable, for tlie seventeen countries which bound themselves by the terms of the whalinjr convention included Xorwav and the United States of America. According , to reliable statistics. Oreat Britain and Xorwny were responsible for SO per cent of the world's whaling activity. For a variety of technical and administrative reasons, 'however, it was not then possible for the British rat ific.it ion to cover the British territories boyoiul the sens. These difficulties have in the meantime been overcome. an<l a comprehensive »nstniinent of ratification is the result. Since the Oreat War the improper exploitation of the noli* , * of the sea ha* been tlie subject of much concern. Tn recent years the rongii-and-readv methods of whale harnooninsr, with which all readers of "Afoby Dick" are familiar, have Keen superseded by infinitely more efficient modern method*. The whaler lias become, in many instances, a floating factory, with. moreover. immense capacities for slaughter. Earlv this century captures of whales amounted to. ronohly. 2 - 200 per annum. In lil.'il. the year when I!ip T.eajrue convention wa* drnft°d. the record total of 42.800 reached. The fihnrt-sishled commercial riolW in vogue was throntcnin<r many Valuable snecics of whales with complete extinction. Tlie T/Pcnio convention aims at the rational e.yii'oitation i>f this source of wealth. The killing or takinir of certain rare species is absolutely forbi-lilcn. Tn the case of all species, calves or females accompanied by their calves niiKt lie left ;ilone. Further provisions ir-i-t 1111:111 (lie complete utilisation of all animals killed. This aoreenicif. !>•• e I i".o'i the actual e?;periencc of the principal whalins nations, was obviouslv necessary, and is a iiii-tter of comi'w.ii sense. Yet n-preolv n single country would have vcihnitiril v limited its ivhaliiur activity if others had been free to .-lan-'liter whab« .indiscriminately. Only some sncli body as (i>e I r>nrue of Xations c(* u }<\ have cnri-i'Ml throng l ' tlie necessary international agreement on the regulation of whaling.