WHALING IN ANTARCTIC

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24959, 21 August 1946, Page 5

WHALING IN ANTARCTIC

OPERATIONS BY JAPANESE AMERICAN SPOKESMAN’S EXPLANATION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, August 20. The American Minister (Mr Avra M. Warren) has received a message from Tokyo giving the following statement made by a spokesman of the Supreme Commander (General MacArthur) regarding Japanese whaling in the Antarctic: “The commission given the Japanese to fish for whales in the Antarctic region during the coming winter is purely a humanitarian measure. It is to help provide food for Japan, which that country cannot provide itself. The United States has found it necessary to assume the burden of making up food deficits for the Japanese to its own detriment, and consequently authorised General MacArthur, if he deemed it advisable for the safeguarding of the occupation, to permit these temporary whaling operations. General MacArthur at once sanctioned a catch for next season, specially stipulating that the decision has no bearing on future international matters dealing with Japanese whaling. The strictest observance of international whaling obligations was directed. The operation infringes in no way the rights or interests of any nation.”

AUSTRALIAN PLAN

MR CHIFLEY’S COMMENT (Rec. 10 p.m.) CANBERRA, August 20. The Prime Minister (Mr Chifley) has denied a statement by the Premier of Tasmania (Mr R. Cosgrave) that an application to establish a £3,000,000 company to exploit the whaling industry in the Australian sector of Antarctica was refused by the Capital Issue Board. He said that as far as he knew no such application had been received. Mr Chifley added that Australia was a signatory to the international agreement on whaling and Japan was not. The Australian Government was now discussing with the Governments of Britain and New Zealand the question of Japan re-entering the whaling industry in Antarctica.