THE FISHING INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14809, 12 October 1911, Page 8

THE FISHING INDUSTRY.

FOREIGNERS ON LOCAL GROUNDS. NO LAW TO PREVENT THEM. (BY TKLEGEAPH.SPECIAL COKBESPCST3ENT.) Wellington'. Wednesday. The member for Auckland West (Mr. C. H. Poole) asked the Minister for Marine in the House of Representatives this afternoon whether his attention had been called to the serious menace to the fishing industry by the. new move on the part of a foreign nation to equip a large steamer as a floating factory, for the purpose of fishing on the. New Zealand coast and operating in the harbours under foreign register and pay, to the serious detriment of whaling, trawling, and other branches of the fishing industry. ...... f . :. Hon. J. A. Millar replied that he understood that certain Norwegian firms proposed to carry on whaling off the New Zealand coasts, and to moor vessels in suitable harbours for use as floating factories, for the purpose of working up the byproducts . into marketable .commodities. There was no law to prevent this, provided the harbour and health regulations were complied with. It was not likely that many whales would ; be : caught in territorial waters and.it was not. within the power of the Dominion to prevent anyone from taking them outside such waters. : Mr. Poole complained that the reply was not very satisfactory, and hot very encouraging. If a floating factory of this kind was to be permitted in New Zealand harbours ii would introduce competition of a : very unfair: and. very unsatisfactory nature. Complete charts were available, and this foreign vessel might scrape our fishing and whaling grounds -bare, «nd prevent any possibility of a local; industry being developed. If legislation did not exist to prevent this sort of thing it should be provided as soon as possible. He was also informed that the seal rookeries on the islands to the south were being exploited by. foreign schooners. ■>;Their crews were aware of the periods at which the Government , steamers , visited the islands, and avoided them at these periods. It was no doubt right that seals should but if foreigners were allowed to exploit the rookeries in this way some . privilege should be granted to New . Zealanders. Unless something was done the only alternative would be for local people to equip ships under the Norwegian flag and exploit the industry under the ; same conditions as were open to foreigners. < ■ Air. Hanan (Invercargill) supported tJie view taken by .Mr.-Poole, and contended that there was ground for a national complaint. The - Government shculd put a stop to the foreign exploitation of local fisheries.