NORWEGIAN WHALERS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 204, 8 May 1912, Page 8

NORWEGIAN WHALERS

SHIP AT STEWART ISLAND. By Telegraph—Press Association. Invercargill, Tuesday. During the first few months a great deal has been said and written of the intentions of Norwegian whaling companies to exploit southern waters, and critics have endeavored to create an impression that no such enterprise was ever likely to be floated. Following on an interview which a

Southland Times representative had with Mr. Wiig, Norwegian Sub-Consul at the Bluff, a few months back, intimation was conveyed to the outside public to the effect that arrangements, which had then been announced, were no idle boast. As a matter of fact there was, at that time, lying at Hobart, the fourmasted barque Mirmosa, which contained boiling-down and manure-manufacturing plant. It was the Mirmosa's intention to carry out whaling operations in Tas-; manias waters, and then New Zealand's southerly seas were to be exploited. The Mirmosa, which is owned by Messrs. Dannevig and Co., of Harvick, Norway, has now completed her work on the Tasmanian shores, and, in accordance with the previously announced intentions, set out for New Zealand on Sunday. She has arrived at Stewart Island, and is at present lying at anchor in the vicinity of Patterson's Inlet. The Mirmosa is accompanied by a small tender steamer. Owing to their inaccessibility it ie at ipresent difficult to get any reliable information as to the exact movements of the whaling party. The steamer is, however, expected to arrive at the Bluff to-day for coal supplies for the work to be carried on in the southern latitudes. It has been arranged that the New Zealand Whaling Company, which haß chartered the Rakawia ' and Prince George (both of which should reach New Zealand shortly) intends to confine its operations to northern waters, as it is : considered too late to go south this season.