The Macquarries.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 17 January 1891, Page 2

The Macquarries.

* By a telegram da'ed 14th January from Inveicargill it is nnnonnced tha " There being uo sigr. of the s. s. Kakanni from the Macqiiarri^ Islands, Hatcli'B ke'cli Gratitude which was held hack waiting the re turn of the steamer, \vi 1 now start for the islands taking stores and a fresh party." Our readers will remember that some two months ago, a rumour was afloat that the men, left by Mr Hatch to fish on these islands, were sh irt of food. Mr Hatch gave no credence to the rumours stating that unless something unforseen had occurel, there were plen'y of provisions left. However, at the earnest representations of certain persons, the Government decided that the s s. Kakanui should call there Mr Hatch stated that he would soon bo ahont sending h vessel on its usual business of fishing and loading up, but it was decided to send the steomer.at once. By the above news, tiring of waiting for the return of the stoamer, Mr Hatch has apparently decided to start his vessel with a fresh party, which certainly sounds ominoup. It appears probable that he reckons that harm may

have overtaken tliose left behind 1 As some explanation of tile delay In the returii of the relief steamer Ciapi tain Sundstroni of the s. s. inverbargill which has returned , froni ,sfcuiir' t Island reports that Uie Eakaiiui, de£patched to the relief of Mr Hatch's party at the Macquarrics, only left Stuart Island on December 25, going east about. She could therefore only have reached Pegasus Inlet that night, and if a strong S W. wind was blowing, it would be hardly likely that she would Jeaye until a shift of wind had talten place, which did not occur till Now "Year's Day. The breeze then, Captain Sundstroni thinks, would only take the Kakanui to the Aucklands, and he thinks sl?e: w^ldmo^eave there till the i2t]h, xnSk> He to see the Kakanui back at the Bluff on Friday or Saturday. If 5 seems as though it would have been better to have delayed the departure of the Gratitude for a few dayd longer. The Macquarries are under the control of Tasmania and it was proposed by the Ta«tmanian Government that New Zealand should take them over. The steamer Hineraoa was actually commissioned to start to them and do that which wa*s necessary to attach them to tbis colony, when at the last minute something turned up in the arrangement with the Tasmanian Government which put a stop to it. On the islands, far out at sea, under the control of New Zealand such as the Bounty* Antipodes, Snaies, Auckland and Campbell islands, the sea birds congregate in large numbers, and persons visit them for capturing ot the birds to render down into oil. It was found that such wanton destruction took place, that for |seals that frequented them, a close time was proo'airaed, and the object of transferring the Macquarries to our Government was with a view. tQLprevegt any_ one ; having a- legal plßC^s^^t.: fW"Be^s^during the close season; 6n^|tUor^fipp;ts. Now a sealer may arrive in I^ur ports with oi , presumably obtained from the Macquarries : but possibly obtained elsewhere We may remind our readers that the islands named do not lay close together, as the Macquarries lie furthest South, but to get to them from the Southern ports the four is'ands, Bounty, Antipodes , Auckland and Campbell, would have to be passed. The Macquarries are much farther from Tasmania, and she has no other territory lying adjacent, so that it cannot be expected that she would take very much interest in the matter. The penguins, birds which yield about sixpece worth of oil each, frequent these islands in great number 3 , but from indiscrimi^ nate slaughter are likfly soon to be destroyed. Captain Fairohild in his evidence before the Petitions Com' inifctee of the House last session, stated, that this ' same Mr Hatch reckoned en getting seventy tons of oil from the Macquarries this year, and if he got near the amount he would probably visit the Islands belonging to New Zealand for the same puvpobe. The matter came before the Committee upon the petition of certain persons that the destruction of Marine bi'.ds and their eggs except for food, may be prohibited bylaw on all islands within the boundaries of New Zealand. The Committee reported to the House that legislative action ought immediately to be taken to control and limit the destruction of birds, seals, and other animals frequenting the islands named in the petition, as well as the Macquarrie Islands, should these be transferred to the jurisdiction of New Zealand. We await with interest the result of the visit of' the fc.s. Kakanui.