WHALING AND FISHING
Sta,—In his letter of October 17th, Mr. Russell Greenwood questions the truth of the statement made in my article in your October 3rd issue regarding the youth of the Japanese 'whaling fleet ,crews. My source was the Fisheries Newsletter (June, 1947), published 'by the Commonwealth Fisheries Office, Department of Commerce and Agriculture. The relevant passage is as follows: "The Hashidate Maru,' a converted tanker, is 10,799 tons and is owned by Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Limited. The crew numbered 304, of whom 186 were factory workers, and comprised a large proportion of young men, most of them being between 15 and 20 years of age." This passage is quoted by the Fisheries Newsletter from the report of the Director of Fisheries, Mr. F. F. Anderson, following the return from Japan of the Australian official observer with the Japanese whaling fleet, Mr. K. J. Coonan. Mr. Greenwood tells us that he has had opportunities to study the methods of the Japanese whaling companies for a period of twelve months. He will therefore be aware that Dr. Evart, Minister for External Affairs, recently announced in the Federal Parliament that the Japanese had infringed the International Whaling Agreement by discarding oil-bearing material during the 1946 season, and that the report referred to roundly condemns Japanese whaling methods.
—I am, Sir, yours truly, GEORGE GODWIN. 20 Old Buildings, Lincoln's Inn, W.C.2.
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