FISHING INDUSTRY IN NEW ZEALAND

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 254, 21 July 1920, Page 8

FISHING INDUSTRY IN NEW ZEALAND

DEVELOPMENT POLICY ASKED FOE. The Hon. G. M. Thomson (Dunwlin) yesterday moved in the Legislative Council: "Tnat the Government bo urged to inaugurate without further delay a definite policy for tho development of the fishing industry of this Dominion in tho interests of—(1) A cheaper supply of food for tho people; (!ij ft greatly increased supply of manure for the land, and of cheap fish food for stock; and (3) the encouragement and development of a iishing population on which the Navy can depend in any timo of .national emergency." Anything that would reduce the cost of living was something tliut the Government should take up, the mover urged. Ho did not advocate State fishery. Tho fishermen should be left to catch the fish, but. the Government should take steps to develop the industry and to ensure that fish should bo put on tho market more cheaply than at present. Under present conditions, fishermen limited their catch in order to keep the price lip. What should really do a cheap article of food because of its abundance about our coasts was a luxury. The industry should receive greater assistance from tho railways. A fishing community might be established at the North Spit of Otago Heads and machinery might bo established for tho extraction of oil and the conversion of the waste products into manure. An increase in the supply of fish-meal would confer a great boon upon tho dairying industry because of the high vahio of flsh-mcal aa a food for calves. Fishermen should bo hel],>ed with advances as settlors were. It would ba something if the fishermen could get their boats insured at a reasonable figure.

The Hon. R. Moore seconded the motion and the Hon. T. Mac Gibbon supported it. Sir Francis Bell told the Council that the Government simply could not provide funds for the development of the minor industries, while the major industries were starving after the war. The mover had complained that that excuse had been employed to stave off his requests year after year. The excuse, however, was the true one.

Mr. Thomson interjected that lie "(lid not want half a million, but a 6clieme." The Bill passed last year for the benefit of the fishing industry, Sir Francis Bell continued, had been stigmatised by the mover as a little Bill. The lion, gentleman must know that regulations under that Bill had been prepared and that advances under it had been asked for. The operation of the Act was capable of expansion as the industry expnnded. The Hon. G. Jones, in supporting tho motion, claimed that what the Government had done under tho Act of last session amounted to very little. The Government had acquired powers which it had failed to exercise; The motion was carried on the voices.