FISHING INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 190, 8 May 1937, Page 10

FISHING INDUSTRY

Investigation by Special Committee PROGRESS WITH INQUIRY Evidence has already been taken from 120 witnesses by the Fisheries Investigation Committee set up by the Government to inquire into and report upon conditions in the fishing industry. The chairman of the committee is Mr. J. Thorn, M.P. for Thames, and associated with him as members are Mr. M. Y. Young, assistant-chief inspector of fisheries, and Mr, E. Sliced, of the Department of Industries and Commerce. Mr. Thorn, who arrived in Wellington from Christchurch yesterday morning, on ills way to Thames, where he has an engagement next week, said in an interview last evening that the committee had been in tile South Island from eight to nine weeks, and that evidence had been taken from 120 witnesses representing every phase of the sea fishery industry. The committee had visited Bluff, Stewart Island, Invercargill, Dunedin, Oamaru and Tiniaru, and had commenced its sittings in Christchurch. The taking of /he remaining evidence in Christchurch would be completed when the commission returned there in a few days’ time. Other places in the South Island the commission had yet to visit were Greymouth. Westport, Nelson. French Pass. I’icton. and Kaikoura. The indications were that the commission would be in the South Island until early in June. Asked whether details of the North Island itinerary had yet been arranged, Mr. Thorn said the present, intention was to visit Napier first, and from there proceed to Gisborne, Whakatane, Thames and Auckland. The Wellington sittings would be the last. The complete investigation was expected to take from four to five months.