JAPAN'S FISHERIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21650, 21 May 1932, Page 15

JAPAN'S FISHERIES

SEEKING FOREIGN MARKETS. Though the Japanese themselves are great consumers of fish, their industrial interests are seeking to develop markets for the sale of fish abroad. At Tokio the Government maintains a fishery institute, which offers several courses designed to promote the fishing industry. There are five fishery and marine products organisations engaged in the export trade. Sal mon and crab are two of the most important items exported. In their efforts to increase exports, the Japanese fishery products, companies receive every aid from the banks, as well as support from the Government. The latter ha s in recent years been obliged to take a hand in political questions which have arisen in Kamchatka and elsewhere between Japanese fisheries and the Soviet Government. During the last two or three years considerable reckless fishing has been done in those waters.

As the depression felt in New Zealand at the close of the Maori War was relieved by the discovery of gold in Westland, Otago, and Thames, it is considered in many quarters (says the Auckland Star) that the gold mining industry will again lift the Dominion out of its present financial depression. There are many parts of the North and South Islands that are worthy of development, and are at the present time claiming the attention of those interested in the industry. A number of the sluicing claims recently floated in the south arc meeting with success, while quartz claims arc also being developed. At Thames the. Golconda claim, which is a portion of the Moanataiari ground, has gone to allotment with 100,000 shares, which will provide a working capita] of £15,000. Another claim is about to be floated, and the company should have a working capital of £20,000, which will enable a deep level drive to be put in to cut the reefs traversing the ground. There is also a low grade ore proposition to develop the Kuranui Hill, which is known to be a network of rich veins and loaders. In addition to these there are two sluicing claims on the foreshore to be shortly placed on the market, and these, if floated, should provide employment for a fair amount of unskilled labour.