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Hokitika Guardian, 5 March 1928, Page 2

Rosa Sea Territory of the South Pole being within the jurisdiction of the Dominion of New Zealand, whale fishers require to obtain a license from the New Zealand Government to fish there. A Norwegian company has been fishing there under •lieenne Irion the Dominion Government since the 1023-21 season, and has taken since I hen 1 ,965 whales, yielding (>..'118:210 imperial gallons of oil. besides manure and other by-products of the fisheries: This company has observed the conditions of its licences; moreover, it lias a refitting station in New Zealand. A marine officer of the New Zealand Government invented with the powers””cl a magistrate has accompanied every expedition ship that has been licensed si ms: the Ross Sea Territory was added to New Zealand, Another expedition. also Norwegian-operated ip the Smith Polar legion last season, has started Irom Tasmania this season. It was not, and is not licensed by the New Zealand Government lo opera 10 in Ross Sea waters, and the Government is aware that this ospedii lop puisnes methods thill lire wasteful and not ill accordance with the economic conditions expressed in the license. So I mg as any expedition of the kind operates outside the Ross Sea area the New Zealand Government cannot interfere. but it is reported by the .Marine Department of New Zealand that the unlicensed expedition was seen in the Ross Sea during the 192(1-27 season, and it. obtained npproxitifalcly I. I ID.IKll) gallons of oil, but. in " hot waters this Catch was mod*- is not disclosed 'l'tie Dbmillioll (iovefnilienl lias already referred the matter to the Imperial Government. Tin* regulations made by the Dominion Government life such as lo prevent, the extermination of whales in the ,South Polar waters as far as possible. The prevention of extermination, it is recognised, is a mater for international action.