["Our Pearl Shell Fisheries", The Western Mail (Perth, WA), Saturday 10 July 1886, page 18]
Our Pearl Shell Fisheries.
THE Inspector of Pearl Shell Fisheries (Captain MAYNE), in his annual report, presented to the House a few days ago, furnishes some interesting particulars of an industry which is assuming considerable proportions. The number of vessels employed in pearl shell fishing on our
North-west coast during the season of 1885-6 was 54, of an aggregate tonnage ot 1182 tons, and employing in all 888 men, of whom about three-fourths were aboriginal natives. There was only the schooner Ivy that employed Malay divers, of whom she had forty-eight, her take during the season being 15 tons of shell, and pearls valued at £300. The take of shell by the boats employing native divers was 188 tons, from which were taken pearls to the value of £4000. Up to the end of April last there were 34 vessels employed in the industry using the pump and dress for diving; but Captain MAYNE was unable, when ne wrote his report, to collect any definite information as to the amount of shell gathered by the boats.
...
AB notes:
This piece is from the middle of the period of rapid transition from the so-called 'native swimming boats' to the use of diving dress.
