A FISHERMAN’S COMPLAINT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2161, 17 August 1907, Page 1

A FISHERMAN’S COMPLAINT.

[To the Editor.]

Sir, I humbly crave your assistance, through the medium oi' your columns, to give voice to a grievance that exists, touching the supply of fish to the town of Gisborne. lam a fisherman on the Big River, Poverty Bay and have followed that calling toi many years past, in a practical manner Quite recently I have had to conform to the Government decree that I should pay a license fee also that my boat shall be Panted in a manner that her name and number and initials of the port of registry sliall show in a conspicuous way, uhen she is employed in taking fish from the waters of the river. Likewise I ‘have a schedule of registration supplied to me that places me under a heavy fine if any of the rules theiein set forth are violated, as regards using nets of an improper size, mesli. or whine fish under the size named in the regulations. There is one clause inserted that no one shall iiiterefcre with a person who is lawfully pursuing his vocation. _ Now sir, there Is a Maori, and a chief among Maoris to hoot, nho since those regulations have come into force has deliberately placed a contrivance in the midst of my ixds iescmhliiie a fence, and to it has nets attached that' are far below the regulation size mesh, and with the greatest impunity takes fish of R-s size than is allowed by the StMuttHo totally ignores the v.osp»n<»il ilitj ot registering his boat, or himself, an docs his utmost to ruin and licensed fisherman .He has 110 apparent need to go fishing, to; unlike myself he has no large family to support. He is a Government, official with Government pay and comparatively speaking is well to dp \p the district, Now sir, according to my lmpiession of this particular matter I fail to discover nnv difference that is implied in the fishing regulations between a Maori and a European. I have always understood that 13rittaniaru.es the waves, and further I am coming to the conclusion that the Maoil - rules both the waves and fishes, witn the laws combined.-^ur S . ] £c i i s P.S. If a Maori would fish in a proper manner, and endeavour to keep the industry alive there would not be anv cause lor complaint. L,.xi. August IC.