TAUPO FISHING.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1926, Page 4

TAUPO FISHING.

MAORI AND PAKEHA. THE FLY AND THE PITCHFORK. WELLINGTON, Sept. 5. The question of Taupo fishing licences was raised in the House of Representatives during the discussion on what is known as the Maori “Washing-Up” Bill.

The Prime Minister stated’ that in addition to the. ordinary £1 license charged for angling in New Zealand, it was proposed to charge the following fees for fishing in Taupo waters: daily license, Taupo residents 2s, other residents 7s 6d. overseas visitors los, weekly licenses. Taupo residents 10s, other residents £l, overseas visitors £2, seasonal licenses, Taupo residents 30s, other residents of New Zealand £3, overseas visitors £6. It was also proposed to issue a certain number of licenses to the Maoris for the purpose of securing food. It was hoped to make everv member of the Tuwharetoa tribe

a ranger. Tire agreement said Mr Coates, had been arrived at only after long and tedious negotiations. They had been for over two years discussing it. Tie believed it would be a satisfactory arrangement to the Maori people and to the Government, and the people of New Zealand. Ho hoped now that they would go ahead and he able to look for something worth while as the result of the agreement. There was no doubt that the finest fishing in the whole wide world existed at Taupo. “STEEL FLY.” Air A. M. Samuel, the member for Ohinemuri, opposed the suggested regulation in regard to fees a.s being too high, and objected that the Natives were to be made rangers and get half tlie fees. The Natives, lie said, were the worst offenders, in so far as poach-

ing was concerned. An lion, member: The worm? Mr Samuel: No worse than that. They fish in an illegal and unsportsmanlike manner. They fish with a thing called “the steel fly,” a thing that lias several prongs, and a long wooden handle, and is sometimes used for tossing hay. In addition to the spear, they used roe, which was ton times more deadly tlian the worm. The whole of this one-sided agreement. had arisen out of the Natives having been exploited bv a certain pakelia. who had lived in the district

for a long time. PSYCHOLOGY OF THE MAORI AV ALTON'S. Apropos of Air Samuel's remarks about the use of flic hav fork in Maori fishing for trout, and the proposal to charge Now Zealanders £3 for a season’s license in fish in Taupo waters, the Hon Afr Ngata delighted the House with ail impromptu -reference to the psychology of the Maori fisherman. The Alaori, ho said, sees the pakelia travelling thousands of miles from another country, under considerable discomfort. to stand up to bis waist in cold water with a slender stick in liis hand, a line the size of a thread attached to the stick and at the end of the li no an absurdly small book, with which lie tries to eateli big fish, and enjoy himself. The Alaori must think the Pakelia wishes to catch fish for fun, not for food. From time immemorial the Alaori custom has been to fish for load. Perhaps be was getting more civilised now, and would rise to a height at which be could gain full honours in civilisation through being a ble to handle a rod and line. From time immemorial the Alaori bad been used to the spear and the'net, and his fun uas not in wading in cold streams. His fun was to go out in the open sea. ITe was not used to the slender stick, the fine line, and tlie sham fly, to catch a fourteen-pound fish after hours and hours, and then chuck the fish away. The Maori, added Air Ngata, amidst much merriment, could not understand a people with a psychology like that, and came to the conclusion that- they ought to be charged £3 for a license to catch fish.