CAMPBELL ISLANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15514, 22 January 1914, Page 8

CAMPBELL ISLANDS.

THE LESSEE'S TROUBLES. NO SHIP AVAILABLE. POSITION OF DEPOTS. [BY TELEGRAPH.-OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ' Chmstchurch, Wednesday. Mention has been made of the fact that Mr. J. Norton, lessee of ft* "Campbell Islands, was at the Blurt recently endeavouring to arrange for a vessel to go South to the Campbell Islands. ■ Mr. Norton has informed a reporter that he has been, so far, unsuccessful. The Government had been approached with the object of chartering either the Tutanckai or the Hinemoa for the visit to the Campbells, and the reply received was to the effect that he would require to pay £500. " Now," said Mr. Norton, " I consider such a sum exorbitant, and out of all reason, but I am prepared to pay £250 as my share. "According to the stipulations, as posted on the island depots, the Government says that boats will visit these places twice yearly. But what is the position? Why, we have one depot there, and its provisions have not been renewed since 1908. Margarine, and boot leather are its main stocks now 2 after that long lapse of time." Mr. Norton went on to say that he had enough food there to last his own eight men until the end of the present month. If such a not unlikely happening occurred as a shipwrecked crew having to be provided for, tho supply of toed would soon be exhausted. Now that there was no possibility of getting to the islands by the end of the month, the serious situation which would arise- under those circumstances could be easily imagined. During the five years he has been the lessee of the Campbells,.Mr. Norton stated, boats have never arrived twice during one year. After his men arrived on the islands in 1908 they used up the tea in the depot. " That fact I notified the Government of," he said, "and paid them for the tea, but it has never been replaced. Then let us turn to another aspect of my ill-treatment," continued Mr. Norton " Last year the sealing season was open?n from July to September. Surely, then, I was entitled io exploit the wafers surrounding the Campbells, but what occurred? The boat did not arrive until more than a month after the closing of the season, and the lucrative prospects in this direction I was not able to take advantage of. Other parties can come to the islands armed with thi full powers of the law. They do not convey it to me 2 however, and I must remain oblivious of the fact of whether they're poaching or not."

After dealing with the serious straits in which his men would be- owing to his failure to secure a suitable vessel, Mr. Norton said that he had a quantity of wool awaiting shipment, and, as the island was overrun with rats, delay in shipping the bales would occasion him further loss.