HON. J. A. MILLAR INTER VIEWED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2102, 10 June 1907, Page 4

HON. J. A. MILLAR INTER VIEWED.

TRAWLING EXPERIMENTS. Interviewed by a Christchurch Press reporter, the Minister for Marino stated that the trawler Norali Niven starts for Stewart Island, and from there zig-zags along tho coast, going out a distance if [SO or 60 miles; then steams to the Chatham Islands, and if she is not a full boat then wil take aboard a load of blue cod, which will be disposed f in either Christchurch or AVollington. “1 do not expect,” said tho Minister*, “if they have any luck at all, that tho experiment will cost us much over £IOOO for the whole thing; and for that sum we will be able to have an experimental trawling trial of tho east coast of both Elands. Of course it is impossible in that time to make an exhaustive test over that oxtent of water, but wo expect tho result will bo such as to give us an idea of whore tho best fishing grounds are. AA r e are also going to test the southern waters, to see if there.are any oyster beds in tho South Island other than those in Foveaux Strait. For this purpose an oyster trawl will bo taken on the steamer. Mr. Ayson, inspector of fisheries, will be in charge of tho experiment, and Mr. AYaite, curator of the Canterbury Museum , is. going as scientist, to classify any now species of fish that may be secured.” ■STATE AVORKERS’ DWELLINGS. As already stated Mr. Millar intends to visit the State dwellings for workers in course of construction at AVindle, Dunedin. Speaking on this subject, the Minister .said: —I am calling for tenders next week for twelve more cottages on a block if land we have secured in Coromandel Street, Newtown, Wellington. There are to be six 6-,roomed, four 5-room-ed... and two 4-roomed houses- As those cottages are in a thickly populated part of the city ,it is anticipated that they will go off without any ijrdublo. Plans are being prepared for twelve more liouses to bo put lip on the section in Tennyson street, Christchurch, and tenders will bo called for their construction in six or seven weeks. At Dunedin the houses have been pretty well all let; and at Petone, near AA r ellfngton, they have all been let except two. At Auckland four more cottages .are just ■ljrfing completed, and when this is done all the vacant sections there will be occupied. There is no doubt about the success of the scheme, so for as applications for letting are concerned.

MAGNETIC SURVEY OF THE SOUTHERN ISLANDS.

The Minister lias carefully considered tile request of the Canterbury Philosophical Society regarding the completion of the magnetic survoy of the Southern Islands, also their wish to collect specimens from the islands for scientific purposes. “The position is this,” said Mr. Millar. “I am quite prepared on the next trip of the Government steamer to the Southern Islands to have the scientific gentlemen landed on one of the islands. The vessel would then proceed to tho other islands and return for them. This would givo them ten v days if they landed on tho first island that tile steamer touched at, six days if they landed on tho second island, and two days if they went on to tlic third island. This is all I can do in the way of assisting them in their work, and if they agree to this, arrangements will be made accordingly.”