WHALING AT AKAROA.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 93, 9 June 1911, Page 7

WHALING AT AKAROA.

A STATION PROPOSED. A topic' of considerable interest in Akaroa just now is a proposal to establish a whaling station there. The idea is that the whaling trade, which nourished at* Piiaki . and O’Shore between 1810 and 1850, shall be revived and an estimate has been made that £6OO would be sufficient to start, the fishery. A meeting of Akaroa residents was held recently, and among those present was C'aptain Dant, an American whaler, who has boon investigating the potentialities of whaling at Akaroa. Captain Dant said ho had been fishing on the coast for a number of years, and it was apparent to him that the number of whales was increasing. In the course of a month he had seen fm ty whales within three miles of Akaroa Heads. Last winter he was oil' Oamaru, and saw plenty of whales. The lime whaling ceased in New Zealand oil had dropped to a low price, but in the different lubricators it was now found that, there was nothing to orpin I whale oil, and the price for whale /oil had increased im ■ monsely. The trend of the land and its physical formation seemed to make whales passing strike within ten or twelve miles of the Heads. There was every advantage at Aka roa, a good harbour, good tides, and proximity to a large centre by tire sea. For £6OO they could piocnro a plant with which a good start could he made, and if it was made a success they could enlarge the. business. In the Bay of Islands the whaling industry was doing well. They got on an average twenty-live to thirty fish a year, and tinning w;is also carried on. 'They could utilise everything here, which was different to whaling from a ship, alien they only get the blubber. Even out of a small whale they could make a certain amount. Each humpback whale would bring in £2OO. On that capital 5 per cent, would go the shareholders. They could get a* good start supposing they only caught six humpbacks. Tbs fishing was done during the winter time when things were slack. When down south he beard the Norwegians had intended putting a ship at Akaroa for whaling. They had applied to Hie -Marine Deportment foi permission 1o wlnh here, and they would do so unless something was done locally beforehand. The project was favourably discursrd by the mooting, and it was .(• ■cidod to as'?c; tain what (inand ;1 ■uiTjpu t world bo forthcoming in , fermine- a company. Another meeting will be held later.