THE CO-OPERATIVE FISH COMPANY.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 286, 2 December 1889, Page 4

THE CO-OPERATIVE FISH COMPANY.

(To bhe Editor.)

Sik, —In Saturday's issue you publish a " protest" from the "Auckland Fishermen's Union" against what that Union terms an infringement of their rights. The letter also says that only the retailers of fish are interested in the "Auckland Fishermen's Co-operative Industry." In the tirst place the fishermen liavo no rights nob enjoyed equally by the public at large, that is the righfc to catch as many lish as they please, and having caught them, to do with them whafc .they please. The Co-operative Association is formed in the interests of those who catch the fish, those who retail, them, and last bub not least, the public at, large who consume the iish. It is formed first of all on one of the leading principles of the organisation of the Knights of Labour, that labour is entitled to a full share of the profit of the wealth ib creates, and under tho rules of the Co-operative Association the fishermen will for tho first time in the history of the Auckland fishing industry be enabled to obtain, nob now and then, bub always the full value of tho fish caught by them. There may possibly be a number of fishermen, though I can hardly believo it, who would prefer tho extremely unsatisfaebory system of dealing with their fish which has prevailed for years in this city, a system loudly cried out against by the fishermen bhomselves, and which has resulted in a very precarious and spasmodic supply to the general public of this mosfc essential article of food, at a very dear price. The fishermen composing bho " Fishermen's Union " uoed not be the least alarmed. The new Association will nob in any way intericre with them or their rights, whatever they may he. If they prefer dealing \ribh middlemen who will scoop up fill the profits, to dealing with an Association which will secure the profits to the nshermerr, they are at perfect liberty to do so, as this is fortunately a free country. The new Association does not of course bake upon itself to teach wisdom, bub ib is quite willing to trust' to bho future showing that by its means both fishermen, hawkers, and retail doalers will be perfectly sabieliod, which up to the presenb none of them have been, and the public will have a most useful, and necessary article of food placed withfft ifce reach at a price within the means of all.— I am, etc., H. W. Farnali,, Secretary pro tern. "Auckland Fishermen's Co-operative Association (Limited)."