Domination of Japanese

Torres Strait Pearling

Industry

GIVING evidence before the Federal Tariff Board at Brisbane recently,.

Francis E. Hockings, a partner in the Wanetta Pearling Co., Thursday Island, declared that the pearling industry in the Torres Strait region had become entirely dominated by Japanese and foreign in terests which paid a lower wage scale.

Their operations, he said, were free of license fees, customs duties and all forms, of taxation or restriction by fishing regu lations. He did not favour the payment of a bounty to Australian vessels. The real need was for a root and branch re organisation of the whole industry. Aus tralian boats had restricted production to maintain the price. He did not think there was any chance of working the in dustry with white labour. Japanese ran the whole industry. Europeans had prac tically no say in their own business.

A patrol boat was needed to impress both local Japanese and check law-break ing by visiting sampans, which broke every law. Witness said a reorganisation of the industry and more supervision was. needed to make the Japanese aware that they were in British territory. They had become very arrogant and domineering.

The acting chairman of the board (Mr..

Syanan) said it seemed to him that the first thing needed- was concerted action by members of the Torres Strait Pearl Shellers’ Association.

Donald Farquhar, of Farquhar’s Pty.

Ltd., pearl shellers, at Thursday Island, opposed a bounty on shell, and considered that with proper organisation the indus try could stand on its own feet. It would help a lot if the Japanese were put ln> their place and business run by owners.

The industry paid when boats working from the mother ship were under the eyes of their owners.