FISHING FROM THE WHARF.

Evening Post, Volume XLII, Issue 127, 25 November 1891, Page 2

FISHING FROM THE WHARF.

Tho Harbour Board has, wo think, acted in rather an arbitrary manner in forbidding boys fishing off the wharves. Tho wisdom and justness of tho prohibition are alike opon to question. The rule is ostensibly made in tho interests of tho juvenile population of the city addicted to the prohibited form of sport, but really the danger of any of tho boys being drowned by falling off ono of the wharves is of the very slightest. Fatal results are much more likely to accruo if tho youthful fishermen aro driven to cast thoir lines off the breastworks or less frequented water frontagos. There is too much business on tho wharves, too many people constantly about, to render it likely that any boy would fall in unobserved, or perish for laolc of help if he did fall in. To many of the lads the fishing is a good deal more than sport or amusement. Their finny spoil forms a weloomo addition to tho family food, or is sold to purchase other necessary articles. We know of cases where real hardship is occasioned by the prohibition, as the boys of the family in their leisure time have been often able to make a muoh-needed contribution of fish towards the food of their parents and the family. Wo imagine that something more than consideration for the safety of the boys has aotuated the Board. Possibly tho lads wore sometimes in the way, and impeded the operations of the Board's employe's. This could be providod against by regulations as to time and places for fishing. Possibly rules of this kind are required, but tho absolute exolusion of all boys from fishing from the wharves seems an unnecessarily harsh and inconsiderate proceeding. We trust the Board will reconsider the matter.