ROYAL ANGLER

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1926, Page 4

ROYAL ANGLER

DUKE OF YORK AS SWORDFISHER ; AUCKLAND, Sept. 20. ! The possibility that the Duke of 5 ork may visit the swordfishing ground sat the Bay of Islands is men--1 tinned by the “Star,” which says:— “What will give chief interest to the coming swordfishing season, however, is the probable visit of the Duke of York to try his hand at the exciting pastime of hooking and conquering a ‘swordie’ or a make. It is understood that the Prime Minister has taken Home with him two suggested itineraries for the Royal tour, and that each of these includes a visit to the Bay of Islands. There is every prospect, then, that HALS. Renown will proceed there, and that the Duke and bis party will enjoy a few days among the big fish that will prove a welcome, interlude in the long round of social functions that the tour of their 80-yal Highnesses will produce. Under these circumstances Russell will certainly be en fete for Hie visit, and there should be a notable gathering of pleasure craft at the Bay of Islands.” A suggestion that the Government should take steps to conserve swordfish and mako shark fishing in New Zealand waters was made at a meeting of the New Zealand Tourist League. The league considered that, as far as possible there should not he any disturbance of the feeding grounds in the area Whangaron and Whnrigamumu and at Mercury Bay and Mayor Island. It was stated that experience in California hall shown that uncontrolled fishing could deplete the grounds.

Among other suggestions made with the object of improving deep-sea, sport were’ the proclamation of swordfish as non-commercial fish, the limitation of the season from December to April, with the issue of licenses at a fee of £1 or more, and restriction of the number of fish that may be taken to ten for the season. It was also suggested that it should be made compulsory for launches engaged in the sport, to carry distress signalling gear, and that the method of fishing should be restricted to rod, reel and line mud steel trace. It was reported that two Sydney sportsmen had presented the Russell Club with a weighing beam, with a capacity up to lOcwt. Tlie secretary reported that for the first seven months of the current year the number of tourists who came to New Zealand whs 5422, of whom 397 were under fifteen years of age. Of the number 732 came from the United Kingdom, 2991 from Australia, 309 from” the United States, 96 from Canada and 1022 from other ports. In the same period 22.74 S people left New Zealand, including 9927 temporary fehsentees, most of whom were on tour. The league, in view of the figures, uas inclined to urge that this year patriotic citizens should spend their holidays in their own land.