CATCHING SWORDFISH

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 225, 19 June 1929, Page 10

CATCHING SWORDFISH

A QUESTION OF CRUELTY Dominion . Special Service. Dunedin, June 18. At a meeting of the executive of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals this afternoon, the Rev. W. Saunders read an extract from Zane Grey’s book, “The Angler’s Eldorado.’’ Dealing with the subject of sword fishing Mr. Grey had written, “It is no trick and no sport to catch a swordfish on a great big murderous hook. A swordfish hooked in the mouth with a single hook puts up a magnificent leaping fight, whilst a swordfish with a triple gang hook in its gullet does not leap or fight at all, and is drawn up choking and bloody with its stomach hanging out, dead or almost dead.” Mr. Saunders said this seemed to him to be the most shocking cruelty, and it made one sick to read of it. It was a slur on the sportsmanship of New Zealand, and moreover, it was published to the world. The chairman, Mr. Crosby Morris, said he thought thej’ should find cut if the statements made were correct before they took any action. The best thing to do would be to write to the Auckland Society and obtain a report from it. The sword-fishing came directly under the cognisance of the Auckland Society. After a brief discussion it was decided to adopt Mr. Morris’s suggestion.