THE FISHERIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 299, 13 September 1919, Page 3

THE FISHERIES

GOVERNMENT AID PROPOSED

DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE

The fisheries question was: discussed in tlfe Houso of Representatives yesterday, ■when the report of the Fisheries Commission was laid on tho table. Members Trom various parts of the country urged th'o Government to take an increased interest iu tho fishing industry, and to assist the peoplo to secure cheap and adequate supplies of food from the sen. Mr. C. H. Poole (Auckland West) suggested that tho Government tshould bring from Eneland 'one of the drifters used in thousands during the war. Mr. Massey: We liavo taken action. I am assisting in order to get ona out here now. Tho Minister of Marine (Hon. W. H. Berries) said the Government was already assisting fishermen in the purchase of boats. The Hon. D. Budd6 (Kaiapoi) expressed the opinion that except in the Rotorua and Tnupo districts, the stocking of the New Zealand rivers had been largely a failure. Tho fishing'in the Canterbury rivers was scarcely ■ worth attention. He suggested that ft fishery expert should be commissioned to find a bettor cliss of fish for acclimatisation purposes. | Several members _ urged the Minister : of Railways to permit tho carriage of fish on the express trains in specially constructed insulated wagons.

Dr. A. K. Newman (Wellington Bast) feared that the Government was going to let tho fisheries 1 question drift. There was no doubt thnt without .Government assistance the fishermen, who weroj poor aim often ..ill-equipped, would , make small progress. Yet the seas around New Zealand contained plenty of fish. . A Fishery Department with money to spend coiilil ensure cheap fish for all New Zealand people. Dr. Newman urged the uovernment to protect'whales. A good whale was worth <£300. Whale meat was eaten in America.' The Antarctic waters from which the whales came wero under the' British Flag. Why should not tlie whales be conserved? '■'Mr. R. Semple (Wellington South) said members were putting out their lines in the' 'political pond with the hope of catching Whales lvlieii the election came. He thought some of them would catch "cocker-bullies." It was time Parliament stopped talking about the fish supply and did something.

The Prime Minister said he did not think the debate-had been useless. The Government was often attacked by .people who knew nothing of the facts and cared less. •'The. Auckland City Council had established a fish markot with cold storage. 'Other cities could do the same. They could come to the Government for any regulations required. He could tell the House that the Repatriation Board had assisted 72 fishermen already to secure appliances. He had in his hand, a draft Bill which provided that tho Government might raise money for the assistance of .any primary industry, including fisheries. ' • . Mr. T. M. Wilford- (Hutt): It has been drafted for two years. Mr Massey: "Yes." The Bill would come before the House during the present session. ' The Government should be able to lend money to fishermen just as it did to settlers. ; The development of a great fishing industry in New Zealand was possible, and he hoped the opportunity would be afforded to men to enter the industry and supply fish in adequate quantities to the local market.