Reasons For Poor Catches This Whitebait Season

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29383, 9 December 1960, Page 18

Reasons For Poor Catches This Whitebait Season

Fish merchants and .retailers in Christchurch have agreed that the recently-finished whitebait season was probably the worst for some years. They could not all agree on the cause of the shortage. Miss V. Benzie, a zoology honours student at the University of Canterbury, said yesterday that the lack of rain to cause the rivers to fresh Was probably the cause. Miss Benzie is studying some aspects of the growth and reproduction of whitebait as part of her’thesis for a master of science degree. She said that when rivers freshed there were two effects which helped whitebait to run up rivers. The fresh water flowed further out to sea telling the whitebait that a source of fresh water was near in which they could spawn, and the fast flowing water also cleared the bars from the entrance to the stream or river giving the whitebait better access to the fresh water. "It is well-known ■ that after a fresh, whitebait run in greater quantities,” she said. A member of the Weather Office at Harewood could not give any figures for rainfall on the West Coast for October and November this year but'said that north-westerly winds which brought rain there were less frequent this year than in 1959.

Miss Benzie said there was “absolutely no evidence for homing behaviour and that it was unlikely, although it had not been proved,, that they just were not there.”

The theory that the spawning places, notably swamps were being eliminated was discounted as being a cause. “I visited the

West Coast recently and the spawning places are substantially the same as they were,” she said. “The temperature of the water has no effect either. "Catches are probably smaller than previously because there are so many more people lining the banks of the rivers.” Very little whitebait caught in Canterbury was sold to shops through the market. Most supplies were obtained from the West Coast, said an employee of the fish market recently. Obituary MR T. E. COATES One of Greymouth’s oldest and most highly respected residents, Mr Thomas Eldom Coates, died at his residence in Alexander street. Greymouth, early yesterday morning. Mr Coates, who was 92 years of age, had not been in good health recently. Mr Coates’ parents arrived frotn Ireland in November, 1864, and he was born in Greymouth. He received his secondary education at Christ’s College, having to sail from Greymouth to Lyttelton in order to reach th? school. After leaving school, he joined the legal firm of Guinness and Kitchingham, in Greymouth, but, upon passing his Law Professional examination, he took up practice bn his own behalf. Apart from an interval when he was farming at Haupiri, Mr Coates worked at his legal profession until about a year ago. Mr Coates was Mayor, of Greymouth in 1907 and 1908. He contested the Westland seat in Parliament in 1917, but was narrowly defeated by the late Mr H. E. Holland

Keenly interested in both racing and trotting, Mr Coates was a steward of the Greymouth Jockey Club and the Grey Trotting Club. He was also president of the Jockey Club for 28 years. He raced horses successfully, having his first win at Kumara 73 years ago; He won the Greymouth Cup twice, also the Westport and Geraldine Cups. In addition. to being a director of a number of Greymouth companies, Mr Coates was the first chairman of the Greymouth Technical High School Board of Managers, a position he held for 20 years; was a member of the Greymouth Fire Brigade, of which his father was an original member; a member of the Greymouth Fire Board; patron of the Star Rugby Club for more than 50 years, and vice-president of the Westland Centennial Council. Mrs Coates died 17 years ago, and Mr Coates is survived by two sons, William (Christchurch) and Patrick (Haupiri), and one daughter, Mrs W. G. McKay (Greymouth). MR R. S. BEADEL Mr Ralph Stephen Beadel, one of Christchurch’s best-known auctioneers and a prominent land agent for 37 years, died yesterdayv Mr Beadel, who was educated at Christ’s College, joined Ford and Hadfield, Ltd., as a director about 37 years ago. He was a former executive member of the Canterbury-Westland branch of the New Zealand Real Estate Institute. . Golf was Mr Beadel’s recreation, and he was a low handicap player for many years and a member of the Christchurch Golf Club. He was also a member of the Canterbury Club and the Canterbury Jockey Club. Mr Beadel is survived by his wife and two daughters. PROFESSOR WORLEY (New Zeaiana Press Association/ AUCKLAND. December 8. Professor Frederick Palliser Worley, an outstanding figure in the educational and university life of Auckland for 60 years, died early this morning He was 80. Professor Worley was a master at King's College, Auckland, from 1900 to 1903 and was science master at Auckland Grammar School until 1906. In 1907 he was acting professor of chemistry and physics at Auckland University. He gained a research fellowship at the Imperial College of Science, London, where he spent six years on important research work. He was awarded the degree of doctor of science by London University and was appointed professor of chemistry at Auckland University in 1914. a post he occupied until he retired in 1947.