WHALES AND EELS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 200, 24 August 1945, Page 7

WHALES AND EELS

PRODUCTION OF OIL

AID FOR INDUSTRY URGED

Parliamentary Reporter.. WELLINGTON, this day. A strong plea for the Government,,,

to assist the whaling industry ih New Zealand was made by Mr. Denham (Govt, Invercargill), in speaking in the Budget debate in the House of Representatives yesterday. He said the total Antarctic catch for the year 1937-38 was 46,000 whales, which produced 3,000,000 barrels of oil - In view of those figures, said Mr. Denham, the Government should seriouslv consider helping the establishment of the whaling industry at the earliest possible moment. He had noticed that Britain was active now in getting ships ready, and he thought that New Zealand should have at least, one factory ship to take whales this season in the South Seas. The industry would be a lucrative one and well worthy ot support. ■ The use of eels was also advocated bv Mr. Denham. The meat of the eel was'nutritious and made a valuable food. The potential yield of oil from 5000 tons of eels would be 800 tons, valued at £32 000 and 2000 tons of fertiliser valued at £10 000. Developing his wild life theme, Mr. Denham passed on to seals, ftsn. oysters, and birds. Although the seal population was not nearly so. large as 20 or 30 years ago, he said, it had increased in the last 20 years. He did not think that seal skins were as valuable as they used to be. but, apart from checking the inroads on fish, the killing of seals would be a valuable source of oil, skins and fertiliser.

T'he developments of the oyster industry in Foveaux Strait now that, the war had ended and investigation of the possibilities of rock oyster cultivation, were also advocated by Mr. Denham. At Pegasus Bay (Stewart Island), he said, he saw a stretch of half a mile of excellent rock oysters larger than the Auckland variety.

The preservation of native bird life was Mr. Denham's last point, and he suggested the creation of a Wild Life Department. Over the years he said, Governments had taken little notice of the fact that many beautiful birds were going out "of existence. National bird sanctuaries, such as existed in America, should be established and the increase in bird life resulting from that would be very useful in the control of pests.