THE SEALING TRADE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10035, 28 April 1894, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE SEALING TRADE.

HOW ARE THE SEALS TO BE SAVED

[Communicated.]

The season for sealing years ago was always from May to September, thus showing that seals are, or rather were, about during the time that the Antarctic will be at tho islands. On one occasion, about 1885, the sealing was opened for a short season from June to tho end of July, for the reason that the pup seals are only prime in May and are of small value, thus giving them a little more time to mature. "Priming" means that what was a black pup prior to that time is now a fur seal, bub not the best description of fur even then. At this stage also the pups cm leave their mothers, and there is not so much fear of the whole being killed. It is during the pupping season, November to j January, that the greatest damage can be done, as tbe mothers are then killed and the pups also, the latter at this Btage being absolutely valueless.

It is a strange coincidence that since the sealing has been intermittently opened and closed, a much smaller proportion of seals have been taken when opened than would have been expected—no doubt due to a considerable amount of poaching. It i 3 well kuown among sealers that years ago, at all times, American whalers called in. at the Aucklauds at any season aud swept the rookeries. Having more powerful vessels and crewa they were able to cruise along the west coast, aad send, perhaps, as many as four boats ashore at once, direct to the rookery, whereas the ordinary sealing parties are in the habit of working overland, carrying their lowering gear —a coil .of whale line—over the hills and lowering their men sometimes 500 ft or more to the rookery at the foot of the rocks. They then haul their men up again, carrying this take to the vessel, stationed ia ono of the harbours, perhaps 10 or 12 miles away.

No seal oil has been taken from tho Aucklands since Mr Hatch's schooner Awarua ceased operations. The oil is obtained from tbe hair seals, of which there are considerable numbers at the Aucklands now. The skins are not particularly valuable. Not being usually manufactured in the colonies, they have to compete in the market of the world—London— against the take of hundreds of thousands from Newfoundland, &o. The United States found it impossible to deal satisfactorily with its sealing interests in Alaska until they leased the fisheries and limited the number to bo taken. As their sealing is on the ice, it is much easier to do than here. It is impossible in our fisheries to take tho males and leave the female seal, our sealing bsing on the rocks and in rookeries.

In 1885 or 1886 there was a clause in the late Mr Ballance's Land Bill giving power to lease the fisheries in one or more portions; and, in fact, tenders were called and received, but consequent upon the local jealousy in the south—from which place most of the sealing was done—the tenders were never accepted, or I believa the suocessful tenderers would hava been Mr Elder, of Port Chalmers, and Mr J. Hitch, of Invercargill, and for their own sakeg they would have seen that the seals were conserved until tho skins wsre at a good price. Tho market fluctuates with fashion—more, perhaps, than any other known. It transpired, in connection with the Bluff sealing case in 1892, that skins whioh were expected by previous sales to fetch from 253 to 80s only realised from 8s to 363.

Tho Aucklands, Campbell, Bounty, and to a smaller extent the Chathams, are tbe principal sealing grounds. Is it possible for the Government with the limited amount at its disposal, and with the ordinary two trips each year by the Hinemos, to look after the seals ? Does not the closing against New Zealanders become a farce ? If the seals are to be preserved under the ordinary acceptance of the term, they require constant watohiog by a stronger means than is available by our local lighthouse tender, the Hinemoa, and it does seem- strange that the Australasian contingent of the navy has not long ago been brought into the service. As the whaling industry is again coming to the front, the chances of protecting the seals will be more remote. It was not long ago that the Dundee whalers were spoken of as taking a look round at the Macquaries and Aucklands while prosecuting their Autarctic work, and if they did so their visit would be unknown to us. A local sealing ship going after them would be rewarded by non-3ccceas.

These interests have been brought more into prominence by tho unexpected visit of the Norwegian whalers. Tnose on board made no scruple—no doubt they regret it now—to publish ia Melbourne, which placo they visited by a rnera chance," their intention of visiting the islands south of New Zealand whera seals were known to congregate. IMvate correspondence available makes it cluar that such was the intention.

The inquiry of the consul for Norway in Melbourne if the iskndi were formally annexed by Britain confirms this view. It does Eeern hard and strango that New Zealand colonists should be debarred from taking advantage of the fisheries whila foreigners abide their timo aud scoop fcho pool. Mr Hatch, of Invercargill, purchased the Gratitude, the best vessel of her class iv the culoniec, for tha sealing trade, and has incurred an expenditure of over £4000 in opening up the Macquarie I Jand oil industry, oorabinod with sealing, and has had tlie most trying experience in. keeping it afloat, while many can ba mentioned who have given it a trial and dropped out one by one. Mr Hatch tnmfc by this last development be pretty well disheartened.

It is ludicrous to think that foreigners or neighbours can come and sweep all before them, robbing New Zealand of one of its legitimate asstti. It is imperative that stops should ba taken to absolutely protect the seals or to permit our adventurous seafaring population to pursue a profitable calliog under proper restrictions. Before the Hioemoa returned, it is understood the Gratitude was placed at the disposal of the Government, virtually without remuneration, ia othor words on paying tho wages of the crew and fcho iasurauce premium, fo that a Government official could ba landed at the AucMauiis while the ketch went on to tho Campbell Islands. Recent events will give interest to the paper to be read by Mr Hamilton, registrar of tbe university, on his visit to the Auckland Islands in the Gratitude.