UTILISING THE SHARK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19285, 25 March 1926, Page 14

UTILISING THE SHARK.

GREAT INDUSTRY PLANNED.

LADIES' SHOES AND HANDBAGS. AMERICAN EXPERT'S PLANS. Hundreds of sharks, which are at present disporting themselves in the sunny waters round the coast of South Africa, will soon be walking round London on women's feet—in the shape of shoes, says a London paper. Others will be carried round as handbags, while shark-meat may possibly prove to be as great a delicacy as lobster or salmon.

Dr. Alfred Ehrenreich, an American fish authority, has discovered that whenever a shark is really wanted, ho can usually be found. He keeps his piscatorial appointments with greater punctuality than herrings or cod. Sharks' hide is of great value, and can be turned into useful leather goods such as shoes, bags, bookbindings, wallets, motor-car upholstery, and fancy articles. Dr. Ehrenreich has therefore decided to form a company, with a capital of £150,000, for hunting the shark. Captain William E. Young, Di. Ehrenreich's lieutenant, will soon leave England for Natal, where the first station will be founded.

The best way of catching sharks, which have unprotected gills, is by drowning them—curious as it may seem. Nets will be laid for the monsters, and once their heads are in the net these gills open automatically. Not even a shark can breathe successfully when gallons of sea-water are flowing inside it. It drowns. Other products which the new company hope to obtain from their shark hunt are oil, meat, fertilisers, animal fodder, fins for Chinese markets, glue, insulating material, dye-stuffs, and polishing material.

"We shall be in full operation in the course of the next few months," said Dr. Ehrenreich. "This scheme is quite practical and has been approved by two small companies engaged, in the work. These have made excellent and durable leather from shark skin for some time. "Shoes made from shark leather wear for a much longer time than any other kind. We shall not sell our leather at a lower price, however, in-order not to interfere with the existing leather trade. The scheme has _ the support of influential members of the leather trade.

"The Durban station will only be a beginning, as more stations'* will gradually be opened all round that coast. We anticipate that in ten years' time there will be a great British industry with stations all over the Empire, employing thousands of men."