ISLANDS OF PROMISE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 890, 9 August 1910, Page 6

ISLANDS OF PROMISE.

A PIONEERING ENTERPRISE. IN THE CHATHAM GROUP. Commercial enterprise runs for the most part on beaten lines nowadays, but a flavour of originality clings to the enterprise 'Undertaken by a well-known Wellington citizen, Mr. J. M'Lean. He leaves to-day in the steamer Storm for the Chatham Islands, taking with him a cargo of machinery nnd building materials to bo utilised in erecting a fish freezing plant at Kaingaroii Harbour, on Wharekauri,' the principal island of tho group. Tho inventory of the Storm's cargo includes some 40,000 superficial feet of timber, 1000 bags of pumice to be used in insulating, and large quantities of corrugated iron and cement. Mr. M'Lean is also taking down a "Hercules" freezing plant, a large boiler, an electric lighting dynamo, and an .ice-making plant, with a capacity of ten tons. It is proposed at the outset to erect a freezing store capable of holding 100 tons of fish. Other buildings will.be erected later. -Accompanying Mr. M'Lean is a "staff of six men, two engineers, two greasers, nnd two firemen. . .A Rich Fishing Ground. Mr. M'Lenn and his little company will find themselves at Kaingaroa rather in the same position as .lone mariners on a desert island. Thejr goods will havo to bo landed in surf Boats, and they will make shift at the outset to .provide themselves with some sort of dwelling. The islands, however, although at present' poorly provided with the conveniences of civilisation, offer what is thought to be. a promising field for-the development of an, extensive 'fishing industry. • The fishins ground in places extends 20 miles off shore, and fish aro to hn caught at ,tlniost any point on the 100 miles of coastline that exist in the Chatham group. There ..can be no doubt, Mr. M'Leau thinks, that these grounds constitute- a rich field as yet almost untried. Not only is the available supply of fish enormously largo, but there is a. prospect that varieties of fish may be obtained' that are at present unknown on Australian and.. New Zealand markets. In the absence of cold storage it has been impossible hitherto to export specimens from the islands for identification, bat this difficulty will now bo overcome. A Courageous Venture. Mr. M'Lean goes down prepared to attempt the work of fish export on a large scale. In addition to the staff of six men whom he 15 taking down, a number of island fishermen will be indirectly in his employ. They work the fishing.grounds in motor and whale-boats, similar to those in use around the New Zealand coasts, and when the freezing store is erected; will have a greatly-improved market for their catch. The whole of tho fish exported will be shipped to Wellington, but blue cod, which are expected to figure largely in the catch, will for tho I most part be forwarded to Australian markets, where better prices are obtainable than in New Zealand. Hapuka and other fish will be retained tor tho local markets. "Mr. M'Lean expects to return to Wellington in about a fortnight, but he will make periodical trips to the Islands. In his absence the establishment at' Kaingnroa- will be in charge of Mr. A. Weber. -