HUMANER WHALING
SIR,—For the information- of David Gimston (Humaner Whaling—The Spectator, July 9th) the following may be of interest. The New Zealand whalers, Perano Brothers, of Tory Channel, Marlborough Sounds, are now having tests carried out with an electric harpoon which they hope to use next season (May-August, 1949). This past season and for many years past they have used the explosive harpoon which has caused destruction to all but about half a ton- of the whale meat, for which there is a heavy demand overseas. The new harpoon is being made in Blenheim, the provincial centre of Marlborough, and will be of the same type as that referred to by Mr. Gunston. The harpoon, instead of containing an explosive head, will be connected with a wire from the engine of the chaser. Through it an electric current will be passed which will either paralyse the whale or kill it outright.
As a point of interest, all the whale meat produced from the catches by the Perano Brothers in Cook Strait, the narrow stretch of water which separates the North Island from the South Island, is canned and sent to England. It is likely that supplies of the meat will be despatched next season in a frozen state in the same manner as other meat is exported.
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