ANTARCTIC WHALING

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 278, 19 August 1932, Page 14

ANTARCTIC WHALING

Limited Operations This Year In view of the disastrous consequences of the over-production of whale oil in the 1930-31 season, when the record catch of 2.316,593 barrels was made by Norwegian vjialers, it has been decided to limit the production for the forthcoming year to 1,931,734 barrels. This agreement will affect all the Norwegian and foreign whaling companies operating in the Antarctic. with the exception of the Southern Whaling and Sealing Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Messrs. Unilever. Ltd., and A/S Laboremds, which are not members of the association. The bulk of the .1930-31 catch—about 1,517,815 barrels —was sold in advance at the good price of £25 per ton for the best quality, but the rest of the catch had a very unremunerative return. The rumour that there was sufficient stocks to last for two years was largely instrumental in depressing the price to about £l2 per ton. The season ended prematurely, and although stocks were disposed of from time to time during the summer, it was decided not to undertake any whaling operations in the. following season. This meant that the formidable equipment of the Norwegian companies—27 floating factories, 149 whale-catchers. 12 transport vessels, and three land stations—was compelled to lie idle throughout the summer. But the object of reducing the glut to normal proportions has been achieved, and whaling will recommence, subject to the above-mentioned restrictions, at the usual time this year. The individual companies have been allotted a- quota based on their production in the previous working season, and on the loading capacity of the floating factories used. As an incentive to rational, utilisation of the whales it has been laid down that the quota be fixed both in barrels of oil and in “blue whales,” the proportion being estimated at 110 to 1. The participants have also bound themselves to defer operations until October 20, as it has been found that the whales- are smaller in the early part of the year, and do not yield such a large quantity of oil. Where the quotas are too small to be worked individually, several firms have co-operated in their plans for the season's work. It is considered that even with the inclusion of the Unilever production the total for the forthcoming year should not exceed 2,000,000 barrels, which, on the basis of the 3,600,000 barrels of 193031, plus the capacity of the three new factory ships, would indicate that the whalin'' industry will be employed at just 50 per cent, of its capacity. The quotas of the larger groups have been fixed as fol lows: Mr. Lars Christensen, 320,000 barrels; Messrs. Jahre Bruun and von der Lipne, 340,000 barrels; Mr. Johan Rasmussen, 316,000 barrels; Messrs. Chr. Salvesen and Co., 206,000 barrels: Tonberg Hvalfangeri. 156.000 barrels; and Messrs. Melsom and Melsom, 94,000 barrels. NARBADA LEAVES SINGAPORE. The Union Company has received cabled advice that its chartered steamer Narbada, en route from Calcutta, left Singapore on Wednesday morning for Samarang.. to complete loading for Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, Timaru, Dunedin, and Bluff. She is due at Auckland about September'4. PORT ALMA DELAYED. The C. and D. Line advises that its motor-ship Port Alma was unable to enter Bluff yesterday owing to the heavy weather.- She is-expected to berth there this morning, to complete her homeward loading. AORANGI LEAVES SYDNEY. Cabled advice has been received that the Union Company motor-liner Aorangi left Sydney yesterday afternoon for Auckland, where she is due next Monday morning. She will leave there again at 11 a.m. the following day for Suva, Honolulu, and Vancouver, where she is due on September 8. OTIRA LEAVES SUVA. The Shaw, Savill Company . has received cabled advice that the Otira, from London, left Suva yesterday morning for Lyttelton, where she is due next Tuesday. She will later proceed to Port Chalmers. Bluff, and Napier, to complete discharge. MESS-TABLE GOSSIP. The Harbour Board’s flag was flown at half-master yesterday as a mark of resnect to the memory of Mr. Thomas Blowers, a retired servant of the board, whose death occurred yesterday morning. Captain L. V. James is taking command of the Orient Line’s Ormonde, which is to leave London on August 20 for Australia. / THE WAIPAHI. The Union Company’s Waipahi is to k—Apia to-day for Suva and Auckland, where she is due on August 30. WAIHEMO AT AUCKLAND. From Los Angeles, via the Cook Islands, the Union Company’s Waihemo reached Auckland yesterday morning. She is to leave there again to-day for Napier, Wellington, Lyttelton, Dunedin, Bluff, and Australia, to complete discharge of her Pacific Coast cargo, and is due here next Wednesday. FISCUS AT LYTTELTON. The British steamer Fiscus arrived at. Lyttelton yesterday from Nauru Island. She has a phosphate cargo for discharge at Lyttelton, Port Chalmers and Ravens bourne. BY TELEGRAPH. OVERSEAS. LONDON, August 17. Arrived.-—At Colon, Canadian Cruiser. Sailed.—From Balboa, Port Huon and Tekoa. SUVA, August 18. Sailed.—Otira, for Lyttelton. SYDNEY. August 18. Arrived.—Monterey (11.30 a.m.), from Auckland. ~ , Sailed.—Aorangi (5 p.m.), for Auckland. BY TELEGRAPH. COASTAL. THURSDAY, AUGUST 18. AUCKLAND. Arrived.—Waihemo (9.10 a.m.), from Los Angeles. Sailed.—Kiwitea (4 p.m.), for Westport: Karetu (5 p.m.), for Newcastle;, Canopus (6 p.m.), for Westport; Waimarino (9.30 p.m.). for Wellington. NEW PLYMOUTH. Arrived.—Holmglen (5.25 p.m.),' from Wellington. NAPIER. Arrived.—Awahou (5 D-m.> Wednesday), from Wellington. NELSON. Sailed. —Kaitoa (7 p.m.), for Wellington. WESTPORT. Arrived.—Alexander (11.50 a m-), Gael (12.15 p.m.), and Komata (2 p.m.), from Wellington. 'LYTTELTON. Arrived.-—Opihl (5.10 a.m.). Holmdale (6.15 a.m.l. Storm (6.3. V a.m.) and Poolta (11.45 a.m.), all from Timaru: Rangatira (6..>0 a.m.), and Cambridge (7.20 a.m.), from Wellington. Sailed.—Kapiti <2.25 p.m.), Holmdale (3 p.m.), Storm (3.5 p.m.), Opilii (3.40 p m->> Poolta (8 25 p.m.) and Rangatira (8.30 p.m.). for Wellington: Taupata (4.4;> p.m.), for Nelson: Fiscus (6 p.m.), for Port Chalmers. DUNEDIN. . Arrived.—Waikouaiti (7 a.m.), from Oamaru.