THE FISHING INDUSTRY

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 24 April 1914, Page 3

THE FISHING INDUSTRY

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER

A NUMBER of local -fisKfermen, for whom the speakers were Messrs I. McLeod, S. Constable, Millward and Andrews, waited upon the Hon, F. B. M. Fisher at Helengville, on Tuesday morning, in regard to matters affecting the fishing industry. Mr J. G. Coates, M.P., introduced the deputation, and explained that the industry was assuming large proportions, there being 17 or 18 boats in Helensville, seven at Batley, and about a dozen on the Wairoa.

The deputation contended that the local fishing grounds' were unsuitable for overhauling methods of fishing, and that " stalling " (illegal fishing) had to be followed to make a living. Although this had been done for many years in the Kaipara the fish were now more numerous than ever before. They also argued that confiscation ofjSa man's boat and nets if caught stalling should be done away with, as the Court fine should meet such an offence. The confiscation of their boats for stalling took away their means of earning a living. The deputation urged the Minister to make "stalling" legal in the Kaipara waters, in which case they would undertake to use a 4^inch mesh, which was Hinch above the regulation size. They would take the Inspector out any number of times and prove to him that very few small fish were caught by the process of "stalling" in the Kaipara harbour Some of them had also got into trouble with the Inspector for carrying two nets, one for flounder and one for mullet, the Inspector having the impression that the mullet net had been used for catching flounder. The heavy tidal fall and the nature of the bottom of the harbour prevented overhauling being a success, therefore they asked the Minister to allow them to fish by the process of stalling, setting the nets where the tidal waters would recade and leave them dry.

Inspector Bennett considered that overhauling could be followed in the Kaipara as elsewhere. He also explained that if two nets were carried on the one boat and the flounder caught were small the Inspector was justified in assuming that the fish had been caught with the mullet net and thus making a seizure.

In reply Mr Fisher said that the object of the Department was to preserve for fishermen. . the means whereby they earned* a-liying. He agreed with their contention that confiscation of their boats for an offeuce was unfair, and in the future offenders would be dealt with by fine only. There was nothing to prevent the two nets being carried at the same time so long as the regulations wei c observed. One of the greatest experts in the world, Professor Prince, had been arranged with to come to New Zealand and make a report on the fishing industry, the outcome of which he hoped would be to place the industry in a sound position. He hoped also to establish an Advances to Fisherman scheme, also ' a system of insurance to cover their boats and nets. The Minister also drew attention to the fact that fish was retailed at a much higher rate than was paid to the fisherman and hoped something would be done to remedy matters.

After conferring with the Inspector, who undertook to watch the " stalling" and report to the Minister on same, Mr Fisher intimated that on receipt of the report he would be glad to adopt the fishermen's proposals if it were possible to do so.

Another deputation, headed by Messrs Jas. and I. McLeod, asked the Minister to have the Public or Fishermen's wharf repaired, which was under the Department's control. —Mr J. McLeod undertook to get a report on same by Waitemata County Engineer, and the Minister said that if a reasonable vote would suffice, he would provide for it on the estimates.