TRAWLING AT AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12955, 26 August 1905, Page 5

TRAWLING AT AUCKLAND.

THE RESTRICTED BOUNDARIES.

REMARKS IN THE HOUSE.

[by telegram.— special correspondent.]

Wellington-, Friday. During the course of a discussion on trawling in the House to-night, Mr. Alison referred to the restrictions placed by the Government on trawling at Auckland. The Auckland harbour and Hauraki Gulf, lie said, were teeming with fish, and a firm which had started trawling some few years ago had been the moans of supplying the publio with an abundance of cheap fish. The Government, however, stepped in and imposed restrictions, under which it took the trawler four hours to reach the nearest portion of the area within which they were allowed to trawl, the consequence being that the trawling could not be profitably carried out, and the steam trawler was now laid up and fish were not supplied in such quantities or as cheaply as they should be. He could not understand why the Government should thus prevent the people of Auckland from getting ample and regular supplies of fish at a reasonable priee. Was this the way in which the Government encouraged the trawling industry? Mr. Baumo said be did not deny that trawling had given cheap fish, but there had been numerous complaints regarding the effect of the trawling. It was alleged that it bad the- effect of destroying the young fish, and that it also interfered with the fishermen, who plied their calling in the same waters. He understood that it was in consequence of representations from these fishermen that the restrictions wen; imposed so far as the inner portion of the harbour was concerned. Mr. Hall-Jones: It was only for a time. Mr. Baurae said there was a strong feeling in Auckland in favour oi the restriction, and he did not think there was any warrant for an attack on the Government in connection with the matter.