New Whaling Enterprise On

Norfolk Is.

A SMALL factory has been erected at Ball’s Bay, Norfolk Island, for the treatment of whale blubber, and it is hoped to resume commercial whaling there at an early date.

At one time, the Norfolk Islanders used to catch anything from ten to twenty whales per season, and recover the oil by somewhat crude methods. The in dustry-such as it was—was discontinued during the war. It is now being revived by Mr. Max Picard, of New Zealand, and Mr. K. Hansen, a retired mariner from Australia. They have assembled some plant, and an electric generating system, at Ball’s Bay—most of it had to be lowered down the steep cliffs by block and tackle —and, with the co-operation of the skilled boatmen of Norfolk Island, a profitable industry should result. They could treat up to six whales per week. Whales in large numbers pass Norfolk Island during several months of the year.

In constructing the little factory, the promoters have used flattened iron from the innumberable oil drums left on Norfolk by the Air Force during the war.

They have welded the iron with a special plant taken in by air. Building material otherwise was unprocurable. There still are thousands of empty drums rusting on the island.