THE TRAWLING INDUSTRY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2074, 8 May 1907, Page 4

THE TRAWLING INDUSTRY.

NATIONALISATION URGED. A Dunedin gentleman, well known ill tlic trawling business, in referring to tlic Government experimenting with, the Nora Niven, gives the following reasons wliy so few people are willing to put their money into the industry:—(l) Tlio insecurity of capital caused by the present laws, and the prospect of continual tinkering with the laws connected with sea fisheries; (2) the extraordinarily high rates demanded by insurance companies to cover the risk incidental to tlioir business; (3) tlio high price of coal, and the 22} per cent duty on trawls, twine, and ropes; (4) the high high cost of distribution especially by railways owned by the Government, the cost of transit from one city to another in many cases boing more than the value of the fish to the catcher; (5) tjie low net price realised for fish; and (0) the uncertainty of catches like goklminiug makes the business very speculative. Iho gentleman referred to says that if the Government had their own steamer, the six objections that capitalists have at present would not apply to them. The reasons are: (1) There would be no necessity for them to comply with their own laws; (2) the risk would be borne by the taxpayer, or the Government State Insurance Department; (3) the coal could be supplied at cost' from the State coal depot, and no duty is chargeable on Government materials; (!) the cost of distribution by railway would be nil, as the Government own the railways and telegraphs; (5) tlio low net price would be an advantage to the various institutions; and (G) the uncertainty of the catches becomes a certainty as the knowledge gained would be a profit to the colony, not only by enabling satisfactory legislation to be passed, but by assisting fishermen, and trawling owners to explain the new fishing grounds, and enabling them to sell the larger catches j of fish so much cheaper to the genera! public* I