Four M.P.s To Visit Chatham Islands

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31863, 16 December 1968, Page 32

Four M.P.s To Visit Chatham Islands

<Acw Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 15. An assurance that the problems of the Chatham Islanders would receive urgent attention was; given to a member of the Chatham Islands County Council, Mr P. Prendeville, when he met the Minister of Marine (Mr Scott), in Wellington at the week-end.

Mr Prendeville said in an interview after the meeting that Mr Scott had told him four members of Parliament would go to the Chathams next month to make a firsthand inspection.

man had to carry out all the Marine Department work and enforce regulations as well as doing his normal police duties. There were now 180 boats crayfishing in the Chathams: a further 100 being built or fitted out in New Zealand ports were expected. Factory ships brought their catches into the harbour, tailed the’crayfish on deck, arid threw the bodies overboard to be washed up on the beaches in front of the township.

“This state of affairs is intolerable to the island people who are looking to the Government to legislate to protect and conserve these fishing grounds,” Mr Prendeville said. Mr D. J. Tuck, one of the first resident fishermen, said the Government had done nothing effective to help since the crayfish industry started. “We've been knocking on the door for three years and nothing has come of it,” he isaid.

The inspection team would comprise Mr Scott. the Minister of Transport (Mr Gordon), the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Seath), and the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk) whose electorate includes the Chathams. The Chathams fishing grounds were being “plundered and exploited to the hilt by New Zealand merchants and fishermen," Mr Prendeville said. “Seldom a day passes that some boat has not had its pots lifted and the crayfish taken out,” he said. “There have been 16 boats wrecked or lost at sea and 13 lives lost since the crayfish boom started three years ago.” “No Enforcement” The situation had got out of control through no enforcement of regulations. At present the local police-