The Manawatu Standard. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. THURSDAY SEPT. 16, 1885. THE FISHERIES OF THE COLONY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1456, 16 September 1885, Page 2

Manawatu Standard. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. THURSDAY SEPT. 16, 1885. THE FISHERIES OF THE COLONY.

Our readers may not be aware what an infinite source of wealth exists m the quantity arid variety of ; fish which abound m New Zealand waters. From the Industrial OazftiC. we learn that a Mr J. Mackenzie I was recently commissioned by the ( Scoth firm ot Messrs Marshall & ' Go. and Messrs Gili.ojc & Co.. who are extensively engaged m the canned fish trade, to report upon them. Mr M ack knz'i e asserts that fish m countless millions frequent the neighbourhood of the Great and Little Barrier Islands and the., firth of Thames. Kaipara Harbor was swarming with the largest and finest mullet m the world. On the coast line between Kaipara Heads, and New Plymouth, it is stated that large shoals of snapper, mullet, and kahawai are to be found during gome portions of the year. Off' Kapiti and Man a, near Wellington, Mr Mackenzie found groper, mold, 'rock cod, crayfish, kelpfish,! and butter fish. In Wellington Harbor and Palliser Bay, the local fishermen, found, abundance of fish of various kinds. At the Picton Sounds, fish were m teeming myriads. On this point Mr Mackenzie states:— "l minutely fished all the Picton Sounds, and also tried the offshore or deep-sea fish off' Cape Campbell. I found the whole ■of this region actually alive with fish, and the climate more suitable for fish-preserving and curing than North of Cook Strait, The most abundant fish is the Picton fierring; not a true herring, neither is it a true pilchard ; but it is a good fish and adapted for tinning and curing, and, as it is found here m immense quantities, it could be so cheaply procured that the export trade m -this- article" alone should rival •m a few: years the herring trade from the North of Scotland. Close to Martin's Bay I commenced to meet with fish m such numerous shoals that from there to off Oamaru, inshore and offshore, I belie. ye ..millions of tons of fish could be caught yearly. It.js simply a question of proper .appliances, arid finding out the bdst •atidxjuickest mode of catching the fish ; for the fish are there m countless millions, and natural harbors abound from Milford Sound to Oamaru.. Barracouta were found m large numbers off Cape Saunders and Otago Heads, the latter place m particular being believed to be a central gathering place foj- countless • millions of these fish for several months m the year." If will thus be seen what a promising future lies before the fishing industry of the Colony, when developed by capital,) enterprise, and skilled industry. Tt is doubtful if any country m the world has such a variety offish distributed round its coasts m such plentiful abundance, all of which could be used by the tinning and curing factories whore established. Stewart Island seems to be a particularly suitable place as a central station for fish-curing and fish-tin-ning, as it commands the best fishing . grounds m the Colony, and besides there is an abundance of the two essentials, viz , timber and water. -Parliament is to be as\ed to legist late with the object of encouraging the establishment of fisheries m the Colony and the production of canned fish for export^and further to pvovide for the maintenance of fishing populations by sotting apart land for . (their; occupation. The Bill will provide that m order to encourage the production and curing offish for export, the Colonial Treasurer may during the next seven years pay certain specified bonuses to persons who shall prepare canned fish for export and send away the same from the Colony to an outside market. The Bill further confers certain privileges upon persons entering into the fishing industry. Such a measure if carried out and capably administered should tend to promote; the fishing industry m the Colony, which ought m course of time to prove an immense source of wealth and. revenue, and afford occupation and a means of livelihood to many -persons who will hereafter engage m it. There should be as encouraging; openings for the investment of capi- ; : tal m this as m any other industry or manufacture m this Colony, as it certainly -is- not (as most others are just now ; overdone. All that is wanted, m suitable localities is population to supply the labour for tinning and curing-facr tories. We believe that once the industry were established, paying markets for all that could be pro. d need would be found with little difficulty. It is proposed to establish fishing stations under the new Act at Pelorus Sound, Queen Charlotte's Sound, and Port Underwood. We trust the Government will take the necessary steps to have, the fishing grounds m New Zealand properly and systematically worked and fishing stations established m suitable places. Apart altogether from the 'question of an export market, there is the feature which must not • lie lost sight of— viz., that an inoxhaustible food supply has been 'bounteously provided by the Greater which six. present no adequate steps are being taken to render available for the requirements of the population. There is little reason to doubt that whenever capital and enterprise are directed towards the development of the fish ng industry, a iarge and profitable export trade

will before long be established, renuneratively employing- labor and capital, besides supplying the resident population with a wholesome and palatable article of food m abundant quantity, of excellent, quality, and at very reasonable cost.