Restrictions On

Whaling

The Geneva Convention

Legislation giving effect to New Zealand’s undertakings in the inter national convention for the regulating of whaling will be passed by Parliament this session (said the Auckland Weekly News of September 11). The convention was signed at Geneva on September 24, 1931.

New Zealand figures largely in the arrange ment, because it is responsible for the administration of the Ross Dependency, where whaling is carried on extensively.

The Minister for Marine stated that the Dominion had a deep interest in the matter by virtue of its administration of the Ross Dependency. Before the signing of the convention a very close investigation was made into the general conditions of whale stocks throughout the world and into the industry generally. A conference which was held as a preliminary to the conclusion of the investigation was attended by repre sentatives of the principal countries in

volved. It could therefore be considered international in its scope. The principal object of the convention was the conserva tion of the species and it was sought to achieve this by various prohibitions and regulations, which it was proposed to put into legislative form.

The Minister said the season for pelagic whaling—the taking and treating of whales by factories at sea —in all waters south of 40 degrees south had, during the coming season, been restricted to the period from December 1, 1935, to March 15, 1936.

Japanese Ships for Whaling

Grounds

A new venture for Japanese craft was seen in the arrival at Thursday Island on October 8 of five steamers, each with a speed of 12 knots and a capacity of 200 tons, en route to the whaling grounds in the Southern Pacific.