JAP PEARLERS

Grey River Argus, 2 January 1935, Page 6

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 bouts operating off the coast of Northern 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 ami Japanese 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 conversed with the Japanese pearling ketches and watched them bringing up the shell. The Japanese scientists were •equally interested, and sent down several divers. 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. Il was the opinion of pearlers, Mr. Ail ken said, that the Japanese Government was investigating the pearlshell industry from the commercial point of view, ami was looking into the reports that Japanese vessels had been j poaching in Australian waters. The Japanese ketches had a perfect right: jlo 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. Iml the Jn:>nnese were placing- new boats on the grounds every year. The Japanese boats operated with a mother shin, generally an auxiliary of about 100 lolls, which brought stores from Japan and took the shell to the Japanese ntrirket. Australian pearlers employml Japanese divers mostly.