THE NORA NIVEN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13940, 27 June 1907, Page 4

THE NORA NIVEN.

ARRIVAL AT DUNEDIX.

INTERVIEW WITII CAPTAIN M'ALLISTER.

Tho Napicr-owned steam trawler Nora Niven, which anchored in the lower harbour on Tuesday evening, steamed up- to Dunedin yesterday morning and berthed at the Rattray street wharf,' where ;sho replenished her bunkers and took in stores, cte. When it became known I lie vessel was alongside the wharf a large number of people took a run down during tho day to see what; she was like, and a glance was sufficient to show that she is a fine, sturdy typo of tho deep-sea trawler which has now become such a familiar feature in tho fishing' ports around the United Eingdom. Painted a pleasing shade of grey, witli a dull yellow funnel, she stands well out of tho water forward, and takes tho water deeply at the stern, her draught for'ard being only 7ft, as against 13ft at the stern. Resides giving her propeller a good grip of eolid wnter, it also adds greatly to the voxel's steadiness whilst lowing tho trawls —particularly so in rough wator. Beyond a hugo trawl net coiled up on tho port side amidships, hard by a powerful trawl winch carrying a groat length of steel wiro towing cable, theie was not much lo see in the way of gear, the most unusual features being tho disposition of her machinery and the quarters for her officers and crew. Tho former is placed right amidships, tho crow's quarters are situated in the forepeak, the officers' quarters being right aft, and aro approached by a vertical componionway alongside the galloy. Consequently, on being informed that the captain was " below," the Times representative was somewhat at a loss for a moment as to where to look for him. Captain M'Allister was found to bo enjoying a hurried lunch prior to going ashore, but he proved to he a true son of tho sea, and extended a cordial welcome to his visitor, to whom he slated jhat he had brought tho Nora Niven out from Homo, and had proved her sea-going capabilities to bo all that could be desired for a vessel of her class and size. "When making Wellington, on tho voyage out, wo ran into one of tho stiffest gales I ever experienced in niy life," said her genial skipper, "and she weathered it in such tine style that I would go to any part of tho world in her. "Now, what else would you like to know?" Oh, anything of general interest to the public—something about your recent trawling experiences along the southern coast, and so on. "Well, I can't tell you anything about tho quantities of feh we got—Mr Ayson attends to that—but I will give you some other information if you like." Dpring tho course of a few minutes' chat Captaine M'Allister kindly gavo somo very interesting particulars relating to tiawling operations between Taiaroa Heads and Stewart Island. "Our trawling operations are at present mifinod to ueep water outside the 45fnthom line," he explained, "and from that depth in about 100 fathoms. Inside of those limits we aro not supposed to trawl under tho present arrangement. Our experiences to date indicate that flat fish, such as flounders and soles, are very scarce on the sea llnor over which Iho Nora Niven trawled—at lesst. if they were there, wo did not get manv of them. Ling seems to be the principal variety in deep l water, and of these wo got large quantities. King fish were also plentiful, and our trawl gsthered up larc.e numbers. These were the only marketable fish taken in any quantity. Of the baser sort, elephant fish and dog fish were taken in tons. Wo got a good haul of groper off the Molyneux, about E.N.E. of the Tni"ri River, the deptli being from 45 fathoms to 50 fathoms. Rroper and king fish were plentiful in Nugget Bav, where we found 45 fathoms. We made a couple of nliorl hauls off tho Molyneux, in about 35 fnthoms, to see if there were nnv flat fi-h there. Wo wero successful in getting a few very largo soles, but Ihoy were not very plentiful. ITad we trawled closer inshore T suppeso we would have got any amount, hut that, of course, is not our present object, which is to test tho deeper grounds in .order to ascertain tho localities host adapted (or remunerative, trawling and also to furnish other data." What, was tho lioMom like for trawling purposes, captain? "Wo found a rough, sandy bottom in the neighbourhood of Ta.ia.roa Heads awa.v to the eastward, pebbles off Cape Saunders, rock bottom off Waipapapa Point, and rough bottom from Port Adventure (Stewart Island) to Ruapukc Island East-north-east of Port Adventure we found a stretch of about 50 miles of a biscuit-coloured randy bottom, which is regarded as a sign of good fishing ground at Home, but our own experiences of it hero ha've been disappointing." Did you not.ieo any unusual feature? on the sea floor along the coast? "About,lS miles off Olago Heads the foundings showed from 55 to 102 fathoms. •Seven miles further to tho north-east wo suddenly found our trawl lines straight up and down alongside the. ship. We took ••••luridings to the extent of our line—2oo without reav'ting l.ho bottom. Sixteen mile? north-east of Taiaroa Heads, an<| also lo the east-north-east of Stewart Island, we noticed tho same tiling—we would In- trawliier away in good style in 55 fathoms, when all o[ a sudden 'the bottom scorned to drop out of sea,' as it wore; at anyrate our lead failed to find the boCtom at 200 fathoms. ".fudging by prw.Nil indications and our recent experiences off the south coast there are no fish worth speaking about: on the 100 fathom line, tho fish anparont.lv lie-ing confined to the hanks in shoro where Iho, valor is comparatively shallow." Captain M'Allister is accompanied by '':.ptain Neilson. who formerly com--Mamlod the steamer Doto during somo irevioM trawling experiments in these •vators some years ago. On that occasion, however, the Doto trawled close inshore, I'id in comparatively shallow water, fish beinf taken in much larger ouantilies on 'hat occasion. _ Captain Neilson shares Captain M'Allister'is opinion as lo the s'arciiy of fish on the 100 fathom line, being precisely tho same, lie says, as it is on tho New South Wales coa-st. Comparatively few people are aware that the beeho-de-mer lrsj.ce.mcd a (front delicacy bv the Chiiie.se) i- to lie found in New Zealand waters. Captain Neilson states, however, that he has found them a' 'Pogamw (Stewart Island) and also in Coo!,- Strait, near Port Underwood. In Ihn latter place ho found on hauling up tho trawl on one occasion that it contained between throe and four tons of l.v:cho-de-ir.er. of whioh there are several varieties. The most highly prized is a deep black, silky variety, verv soft to the touch. These aro found ehiedv on tho coral reefs amongst the Hcnjt.h Son Mantis, and are a staple oxn-rf. of pre/it vahte. Unfortunately for Captain Neilson the New Zealand varieties were of no value, but he thinks the valuable variety nuiy yet. be found on o'ir coasts. The Nora. Niven proceeds to sea this morning, and Cant*in M'Allister hop»s to tesi t.ho fishing grounds off Mocraki Hid Onniarii during (he next day or so, '] he trawler is a t present being subsidised by the Government for that, purpose, and the report, irivini details of her operations wiM be awaited with interest.