To Help Pearlers

Grant of About £4 per Ton

The Federal Government has decided to make a grant of £5000 to the pearling industry—£2500 to Western Australia, £1500 to Queensland, and £1000 to the Northern Territory. It is to be distri buted among pearlers on a production basis. A request for payment of a bounty on the shell produced was referred to the Tariff Board for inquiry.

Mr. A. Male, a partner of Streeter and Male, Broome pearlers, said the bonus worked out at about £4 a ton for shell fished, which was an insult to the indus try. Figures, which were supplied to the Federal Government, of the cost of rais ing shell and of prices being realised showed that at least £20 a ton more was required to put the industry on a basis where it would pay working costs.