Fish Wholesaler Asked For Balance Sheets

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29830, 24 May 1962, Page 14

Fish Wholesaler Asked For Balance Sheets

(N.Z. Press Association) INVERCARGILL, May 23. An Invercargill fish wholesaler who said he had £250,000 invested in the fishing industry' and interests in 16 fishing companies was asked to bring balance sheets for those companies for the Parliamentary Select Committee on the fishing industry to examine. This request was made today by a member, Mr F. Hackett, to Mr S. W. Jones.

Mr Jones, who said that more than £lOO.OOO of this tom invested in the industry was tied up with the oyster industry, questioned Mr Hackett’s request for the production of the companies’ balance sheets. “Why do I have to produce them?” he asked. "We are entitled to them. This committee was set up by law and we are entitled to them.” said Mr Hackett in reply to a question by Mr Hackett. Mr Jones said he was a director of Fresh Oysters. Ltd., Pascoe Brothers. Ltd.. Foveaux Strait Ovster Company. Robert Russell, Ltd.. Stewart island Canneries. Ltd.. Oban Fishing Company. Oyster Distributors. Ltd., Southland Fisheries. Ltd. Earlier Mr Jones had told the committee he was tired of being called an “oyster baron” and a "racketeer.” “I'm getting sick of it.” he said. “I get those names thrown at me all the time Let someone show me where I have gone wrong and I’ll admit it. I feel I have got clean hands in this thing. We are just an ordinary pack of businessmen.” “End Of Road” The oyster industry was just about at the end of the road. Mr Jones told the committee. “The oyster industry is just a small one.” he said Mr Jones said there was an excessive number of licences at present and catches were getting smaller. The average catch an hour this year was eight sacks, compared with 12 sacks last year. in the event of further fishing licences being granted for Bluff, existing operators would get them. Mr Jones said. “An assurance to this effect has been given by the Secretary of Manne. Mr O'Halloran.” said Mr Jones. Mr R. D. Muldoon said: “It is a peculiar thing that the Secretary of Marine can promise licences in this manner. It is a clear breach of administration.” He asked Mr Jones to bring correspondence on this agreement to the meeting "Ground Over-Fished” Mr Jones said that in the event of a licence being granted with the proviso that the holder supply only oysters in the shell to retailers. it would 1 not affect him personally. “However, it would be a tragedy to the industry.” he said. “I am convinced the oyster grounds are being over-fished.” Mr W A. Fox: Professor Richardson says the grounds are under-fished? Mr Jones: Has he ever been to Bluff* The Foveaux Strait beds are unique. How can he talk about something he knows nothing about? Sir Eruera Tirikatene: Like a parson talking about heaven Jones said he was against the granting of another licence.

Mr Fox: The licences are in effect controlled by you three (Messrs Jones. W E Johnson and R. Allison) Do you feel the granting of a new licence would loosen your grip on the industry? Mr Jones: I don’t think so

Mr Fox: Do you think you would get this licence holder in. too? Mr Jones: No. r Christchurch Supply Mr Fox: You used to sell oysters to a Christchurch merchant. Why was his supply stopped?—Because he

came in opposition to me. He has a fish auction market in Christchurch and came down here and started buying crayfish in Bluff. He offered more for crayfish than you were doing so you chopped out his oysters? —That’s fair enough, that is correct. As long as Christchurch gets oysters who cares where they came from? Mr Jones denied he had ever restricted oyster catches last year. A limit of 100 sacks a day had been put on boats but that was “just zero.” The restriction came towards the end of the season when the weather was warmer and oysters could not travel in sacks and the factories could not handle all of them. Mr Jones said he thought the selling of oysters in the sack was “incorrect.” Oysters were more "tender” than milk and they tainted easily. Tinning was more hygienic.

“We must have progress,” said Mr Jones. Mr Fox: Some people say oysters in tins is not progress. What is progress in this direction is not for you to say. “Are you opposed to selling oysters in sacks?” asked Mr Fox. Mr Jones said he was not opposed but there was better marketing and hygiene with tins. Mr Fox: There is more profit in tinning them?— Naturally, yes. Sending North Mr Jones said that if Invercargill retailers said they were not getting enough oysters. it was because they were sending big quantities up north. The Sea Fisheries Advisory Council had been told this. "It was told that the retailers themselves caused the shortage. Five years ago an agreement was made with the retailers that they not act as wholesalers, but they honoured it in the breach ” "Is this a national or local industry?” asked Mr Jones “We maintain that it is a national industry. A few years ago all New Zealanders could not get oysters, but with the advent of air traffic they now could.” Mr Fox asked Mr Jones whether he would accept an offer of 4s a dozen for oysters on the export market “I have been offered 8s a dozen.” replied Mr Jones.

oyster beds in Foveaux Strait. He also said that the east bed. from which came the best oysters, would have “finished” a few years ago, except for the fact that it had been covered with a red weed and was unfishable for eight years. “Nature saved that bed,” Mr Jones said.