PARLIAMENT

Lake County Mail, Issue 14, 27 August 1947, Page 7

PARLIAMENT

Points from Speeches “ Various scientists considered that it would be a splendid step if New Zealand could engage in the whaling industry, not only for the whale oil but also for the various by-products,”- said Mr T. L. Macdonald, M.P. for Wallace, speaking in Parliament. The outlay was enormous, he said, and it did not appear that New Zealand could provide the money, materials or ships for some time. Before the Second World War, Norwegian whaling expeditions operated south of New Zealand with factory ships and they came back to Stewart Island in the off-sea-son. If New Zealand could not link up with Australia in developing the whaling industry she should extend an invitation to ,onc of the British whaling companies already operating to use New Zealand as a base for its operations. Many New Zealanders would be prepared to join a British whaling expedition, just as they had joined Norwegian whaling ships in the past. The Minister had stated that the Ross Sea area was a small portion of the Antarctic and that most of the whaling was carried on outside of that area, but how did the Minister know that that was the ease? If a British whaling company operated from New Zealand the interests of New Zealand in the Ross Sea area would bo protected and many advantages would accrue, to New Zealand.