JAP PEARLERS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 151, 24 December 1934, Page 10

JAP PEARLERS

ON OFF-COAST BANKS

AUSTRALIANS' RIVALS

Mr. Mark Aitken, a pearler, of Thursday Island, stated in Darwin on December 5 that the Japanese were increasing their pearling boats operating off the coast of Nbrthern^Australia. Mr. Aitken said that recently, while he was on the. new, pearling, grounds to the north-west of Bathurst .Island, a Japanese motor vessel of about 300 tons visited the! grounds, with; a party of scientists and ,: Japancso Government officials on board, and made investigations. The Japanese ,on the grounds were operating about ,16 ketches. These were much larger than the Australian boats,, which numbered nearly 20. The Japanese officials rconversed with the Japanese pearling ketches and. watched them bringing upthe shell. The Japanese < scientists were . equally; interested, and sent down several divers^ l After staying two • days,- the "motor- vessel left. He -heard afterwards that it was a patrol boat from the- Pellew : group .of islands,'near the Philippines, over which the.Japanese 'exercise a mandate.' ... It ,was thei opinions of .^pearlers, :Mr. Aitken: said, that the. Japanese Government was. investigating ■ the pearlshell industry from the commercial point<of view, and was looking into the reports that Japanese vessels had been poaching in Australian waters. The Japanese ketches had 'a perfect right to be on the new grounds,-as they were well off the;coast'On the; high seas. ■ Mr. 'Aitken '■ said that • Australian pearlers still had' the major share of the pearlshell industry, but the Japanese were -placing 'new boats' on the grounds every-year. The Japanese boats operated with a mother ship, generally an auxiliary of about' 100 tons, which brought stores from Japan and took the shell to the Japanese market. Australian pearlers employed Japanese divers mostly. ■_____^ Among the^Yaruro Indians-of Venezuela, a man cannot speak to his mother-in-law. In camp they; have to sit facing opposite directions. The average-daily consumption of water in the London Metropolitan Water Board area is about forty and a-hjjlf gallon! a day per head.of -the;, population, ; 4