THE OYSTER SEASON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15594, 28 April 1914, Page 8

THE OYSTER SEASON.

OPENING NEXT MONTH.

BEDS IN" GOOD CONDITION.

MAINTAINING STEADY SUPPLY. The oyster season will open on Friday, May 1, but the first picking will not be placed upon the Auckland market until several days afterwards. Under the Act it is illegal for anyone to have oysters in his possession before May 1, hence if pickers commenced their season's work before the day in question— that the oysters might be placed in the hands of the consumers on the first day of the season—they would bo liable to a penalty. Similarly, picking will cease on October 24 to enable holders to dispose of their supplies before October 31. The Department does not intend to make a special effort to meet the keen demand at the beginning of the season. The intention is to provide a steady supply for the wholo season. Local orders are not yet being taken, but. on May 1 the manager of the oyster depot on the Railway Wharf will be prepared to accept orders of one sack upwards. Tne price per sack at the depot will be 13s 6d as formerly, but the cost per sack of consignment's to be sent by railway cr steamer will be 14s f.o.b. The harbour and gulf beds which will be used are Mahurangi, Waiueke, and Ponui, and possibly those at Coromandel if necessity requires. These are all under the jurisdiction of the Customs Department at Auckland. In addition, however, the Kerikeri beds, at the Bay of Islands, will be haryested under the supervision of tlio inspector in that district. Theso supplies will be forwarded to Auckland by steamer. The beds mentioned—with the exception of Kerikeri— picked from last year, and the fact that this season they are in splendid condition is due to the methods adopted by the Department. These provide that each picker is limited to three sacks per day, each sack containing from 80 to 100 dozen. Thus no encouragement is given to hasty and rough picking, which results in untold injury to the beds. The beds at Coromandel and Cabbage Bay are small, but reports indicate that they are steadily increasing in value, and should be factors in the industry in the future. A supply of 8500 sacks has been procured by the Department for the season's operation's.