FISHING INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 20, 19 October 1920, Page 3

FISHING INDUSTRY

BOAT HARBOUR FOR ISLAND BAY

WILL IT AFFECT THE PRICE OF FISH?

Speaking yesterday to a. Dominion representative, the Mayor (.Mr, J. J'. Luke) recalled that recently the > Minister of Mantua made a statement to the effect that tho Government was prepared to give a vote ot .KI2OO to improve the facilities 'for fishermen at Island Bay, if the City Council would subsidise that

•urn £ for i!. The conditions under which tho fishermen at Island .liny worked were by no means satisfactory, said Mr. Luke, as i!n lauding ithoy liad to pull their boats up on the sand or among the rocks, 'and convey the fish therefrom to a vehicle in waiting some

distance away. This entailed a good deal of risk ani extra labour, and prevented the beach from being as attractive as 'it-might be for bathers and picnickers. At the western side of tho bay, where tho boats were drawn up in fine weather, there was a siita suitable for a. small

boat harbour. There, by removing some rocks, and making others level by the use of concrete, a little haven and quay-

side could be provided at no great outlay. The fishermen concerned had approached both tho Government and tho council. On the recommendation of the Finance Committee the council had decided to subsidise the Government grant

up to .-.2oo—making a total of which should be sufficient for, the purpose. Noiv that 'the council hnd approved the work, the City Engineer would-consult with the Government Ku-gineer-in-Chief, with the object of working out some plan whereby tho conditions of the industry would he improved ' a.? far as tho Island Bay men wore con cerned. This should also bonefit Wellington. Asked whether the provision of such a place for the Italian fishermen would be reflected in any way in the prise of fish, the 'Mayor replied that he was unable to say, but before (the work .wiis undertaken that aspect of the question should . be taken into 'account.. His private opinion was that no very material advantage would be gained respecting the supply of fish until trawlers were obtaincd. He thought that- the' Government might experiment with a couple of trawlers. Owihig to the demand for minesweepers during the war, the trawling fleet of- England had been tremendously augmented, and there should be no difficulty in the way of the Government w- " curing a couple at a reasonable price. He believed that if they wore worked on practical lines, trawlers would play a large part in supplying food to the people of New Zealand, as they did in the

Old Country. • It should be pointed out that the pro-posed-bonit harbour nnd (piay at.lsland Bay is only .intended for the small sarainjt boats and launches used by the fishermen, not for trmvlers, which would come inside the harbour and use the ordinarYv'wuarvea.