Fish.

Some thirty years back New Zealand was an important whaling centre, but the decrease in the value of whalebone, which took place some years back, and the discovery of lubricating oils which have taken the place of whale oil, caused the fisheries to decline. The coast-line of New Zealand is over 5,000 miles in length, and the supply of edible fish is abundant. Little has been done, so far, to develop the fishing industry, but in the opinion of those most competent to judge, this industry will grow to very large dimensions, and the present high price of whalebone justifies a resumption of the whaling industry.

During the last two years a trade in oysters and fresh fish has been opened up with Australia, and the large quantity and great variety of edible fish on the New Zealand coast only require the necessary skill and capital to enable a large export trade to be developed. The fur seal is found on the islands near the coast of New Zealand, and in 1891 the number of skins exported was 1,322.