Rangitikei Advocate. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8716, 16 January 1907, Page 2

Rangitikei Advocate. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

The proverbial difficulty of finding a needle in a bundle of hay appears to sink into insignificance compared with the almost absolute impossibility of catching a second time a marked fish which has been thrown back into the sea. Yet the Marine Biological Association in England, in its endeavour to throw light on the supply and habits of sea fish, annually catches and marks numbers of fish which are again caught and examined, The fish chiefly used hitherto have been plaice, on account of their great importance as a natural foodstuff. The fish are marked on the dorsal surface with a very thin convex metal disk, bearing a number ; this is attached to a fine silver wire, which is passed through the thinner part of the fish near the fin, and secured on the underside by a small bone button. The fish appears to suffer no inconvenience from the application of this label, which does not interfere "with its growth or affect it injuriously in any way. When marked fish are caught by the regular fishermen they are forwarded to the laboratory, where a complete register J is kept. A comparison of the former

with the present eiie aad weight of the fish shows its growth during the - period between the two patchings, and the distance between the spot where it was released and the spot where it was .caught : agamies a measure cl ite movements. When ( theflsh so observed number thousands it Can readily be understood that the tnethod throws a good deal of light upon their habits and life history. Some idea of the intensity of the trawling which goes on in the North Sea can be formed from the number of marked fish re-caught within a twelvemonth. Out of 5039 marked plaice of all sizes 992 were re-caught within a year; this represents 19.7 per cent., or nearly one-fifth ; but for the medium-sized fish the figures are far higher, ranging from 28.4 to 89.0 per cent, for the whole of the North Sea, and to 43 per cent, in the more northerly portions. High as these figures are, they would no doubt be much higher but for the accidents to which fish are liable, and perhaps the overlooking of cases by fishermen. One curious point mentioned in the report of the Association is that the age of fish can be determined by examining the small bones from the ear of the creature. Those are formed by the addition of alternate light and dark rings, and the number of rings gives the age of the fish. It is clear that careful investigation can do much to increase the fish supply of Britain and to prevent methods of capture which tend to destroy fish unnecessarily. Greater knowledge will also prevent the passing of legislation which? though well intentioned, may do irreparable injury.

The woollen manufacturers have apparently completed the formation of an association, or in other words a trust. The object of the association, we are informed, is to foster the woollen industry of the colony and to place it on an improved footing. There can be no objection whatever to manufacturers combining in order to increase their profits by economising in the processes of production or by any other legitimate method. We know that the Arbitration Court will protect the interests of the workpeople and that if the combine attempts to raise prices the public will not buy New Zealand clothing, but will prefer imported goods. One of the objects of the new trust, however, according to the managing director of the Wellington Woollen Company, is to work for an increase in the tariff. The excuse given is that since the tariff was last fixed there has been a great change in the relative cost of importing goods and the cost of making them here. This difference is said to be to the disadvantage of the manufacturer, and it is maintained that an adjustment of the tariff is required in common fairness to the industry. At this point the interests of the public and the woollen manufacturers part company. A higher tariff moans an all round rise of prices, greater profits to manufacturers, demands for higher wages by the employee, and similar claims for protection and increased wages from every industry. The woollen manufacturers 'realise that in any wise adjustment of the tariff the duty on woollen goods would be reduced so as to provide the same or greater revenue while reducing the cost of clothing to everyone iri the country, and they are preparing a demand for higher duties in order to render more difficult the process of reducing the tariff.