Deep-Sea Trawling.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue XVI, 17 October 1903, Page 54

Deep-Sea Trawling.

THE NEW ZEV.AND FISHERIES

COMPANY

A CHAI WITH MR W. DERING.

Mr \) . Daring, who has been touring the colony in the interests of the proposed trawling company, of which he is the managing director, was interviewed by a “Star” representative last Week on the subject of the company’s proposals.

Mr Dering said tliat he was perfectly satisfied with the prospects of the business in New Zealand, and his only wonder is that the scheme was never taken up before by capitalists. Trawling

operations will begin by the Ist of Sept, next year, by which lime Mr Dering will have been Hume and come back again, and the trawler- which are being built in England will have arrived here. “Our scheme is absolute simplicity. I am going to catch the fish and sell them in New Zealand. Those I don’t want for local sale I shall send away to Australia, South Africa, England- There is an unlimited demand. Large is is the probable supply, the demand is much greater. I have extremely large orders already for the Cape. We intend to establish branches in every centre where there is any business to be done, and it is our intention to supply regularly a plentiful quantity of cheap fish to every part of the colony. We have already five steam trawlers building in England, and they are large enough to make their own way out here. Besides them there will probably be a couple of steam trawlers built in Auckland if the builders here can quote me a fan- price. All these bo-ts will be deep-sea trawlers, which will be able to go out and stay out in all weathers. They will be under command of experienced North Sea fishermen. The trawlers vs propose te have built here are to be not less than 130 tons, and I am in negotiation with a focal company for the work- If when they receive the specifications I send them they can quote me a satisfactory price thqp will go to work at once so as to have the vessels ready for commission at once. We shall have trawling stations at Auckland. Napier, Port Chalmers, the Bluff and the Chatham Islands. The freezing will probably be carried out by local companies, and I believe I can make satisfactory arrangements for Auckland with the existing firms. When the full fleet is in operation there will be at least ten trawlers at «ork. As to the dension of the boats. I cannot s.»y till I return, but there will not lie less than two stationed at Auckland.”

“What capital do vou go to work with?”

“£300.000. and it is all underwritten now. £ 100.000 is supplied by Mr A. F. G. Brown, of South Devon (Eng.), whose son (Mr F. G. Brown) is our secretary, located just now in Lambion Quay. Wellington, and the remaining £200.000 was underwritten in Glasgow and London within four days of the flotation of the company. There will I— a certain number of shares available to the public, but 1 must plainly say that we are not trying to put them on the market. It will be made possible for people whose business interests are in the fishing industry to join us to a small extent, but the company is already floated, and such shares as find their way on to the market will come from individuals and not the company. There will be a local Board of Management, and the names of the gentlemen will be forthcoming before I leave New Zealand. lon will find they are among the most prominent business men of the colony. The London directorate consists of Lord Glasgow (chairman), Colonel Studdy, Mr A. F. G. Brown, and Captain Studdy. I shall Ire the managing director of the company, and when I return from Home before the end of March next I shall remain in New Zealand the next three years. I go Home by the Gothic from Wellington on the 15th of this month. I shall then travel round the colonies arranging the details of shops, storage, carriage, etc., so as to have everything in order by the time we get the trawb ers into work.”

“What gave the promoters the idea of the venture?”

“Captain Studdy. who is a great angler, came out to New Zealand for the angling to be got here, and he returned Home full of the scheme. He so impressed me with his details that I cabled to the Premier to know if he would encourage a steam trawling industry in the countrv—without concessions or subsidy, of course. I received a favourable reply, and left England on August Ist with the company already floated. I may say that I am more than satisfied with the prospects, and we shall certainly begin work as soon as possible.”

“How will the prohibition of trawling in the Hauraki Gulf affect vou?”

“Not at all. tVe shall do al our trawling at sea. I do not profess to be an expert in fishing matters—my work is finance—but from what I know from conversation with experts, it seems clear that trawling, if properly and successfully carried out, will do no harm to the fish in shallow waters. Rather the reverse—it improves the quality of the fish. It certainly should not clear out

the supply of fish at all. Our North Sea men don’t go to the same place every time, as the fishermen seem to do here * they will trawl two days this way. two days that way and so on —never thoroughly exhausting the ground nor frightening the fish away. I think and I told Mr Seddon that it would be advisable to proclaim certain dose seasons for flat fish in shallow waters —such fish as flounders and soles—say for a period of three months at intervals.”

“How will the company affeet the local fishermen ?”

“We have no desire to deprive any fisherman of his livelihood. and in the matter of fishing in shallow waters we will buy from him all he can cat eh at market rates. As I have said, those already engaged in the business will have an opportunity to join us if they choose, and we shall probably ale-orb most of the local labour ourselves.”