Direct Fish Sales Urged

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32053, 30 July 1969, Page 30

Direct Fish Sales Urged

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 29. It was essential that fishermen be allowed to sell direct to the public, the district inspector of fisheries for the Marine Department (Mr F. E. French) said today.

If this was stopped it might do the industry considerable harm.

The sale of fresh fish at roadside stalls has been brought into question by a decision last week of Mr Justice Richmond. Mr French said if the fishermen could not sell direct to the public they would be priced out of existence. This would not be in the public interest.

The fishermen were giving the public what they wanted. “The week-end crowds buying fish on Tamaki Drive in Auckland is proof of this, and the long-line fishing is good

training for a fisherman,” he said.

“Some tightening up of the Shops and Offices Act is needed. It should define more clearly the allowance for selling fish direct to the public, so that the practice is made perfectly legal.” Mr French said he would like to see everything possible done to assist and encourage the fishermen. The fishermen and the civic and health authorities were cooperating to see that no regulations were broken.

The president of the longline Fishermen’s Association (Mr M. Harrison) said vested interests—wholesalers and retailers—were against the selling of fish direct to the public.

Meanwhile, the fishing in-

dustry was no closer to getting back into gear today as both parties met separately to discuss the payments issue. The fishermen went on strike 13 days ago and most Auckland fish shops are how out of stock. The fishermen are seeking a change in the present sliding scale of payment to a flat rate of 5.5 c a pound. They are now paid 5.5 c a pound for the first 90 baskets of fish and 4.167 c a pound after that. The secretary of the Auckland Fishermen’s Association (Mr J. E. Smith) said about four privately-owned fishing boats would probably go out fishing in the next few days. Their catches would first go to hospitals and then to retailers. Representatives of the boat owners and wholesalers were understood to have met this morning.

Board Inquiry Sought It was reported later that the New Zealand Commercial Fishing Boat Owners’ Association favours an inquiry into the issues by the Fishing Industry Board. In a telegram to the Auckland Fishermen’s Association late today the boat owners said they would be happy to negotiate for a third-party inquiry, either into the question of payment for fish catches or into the fishing industry generally.

They said that since any independent decision had to be reached by persons with both a detailed knowledge of and a responsibility to the industry, it was strongly suggested that the four Government ap-' pointees on the Fishing Industry Board hold the inquiry. The secretary of the Auckland Wholesale Fish Merchants’ Association (Mr R. M. Brebner) said tonight it was not proposed to include the representatives of the fishing industry in the inquiry because they would be interested parties. i

Failing an inquiry by the board, the owners recom-' mended arbitration, as provided for in the agreement between the fishermen and the owners. A third proposal was conciliation. The telegram said a public inquiry would be costly, involve a long period before any hearing, and its authority was doubtful. Complete Support

A meeting of 10 unions and three housewives’ organisations this afternoon Expressed complete support for-the striking fishermen, according to a statement made after the meeting by the secretary .of the Northern Drivers’ Union (Mr G. H. Andersen). The meeting challenged the boat owners and the wholesalers to debate the issue on television. Failing the debate, it asked that the fishermen be allowed to state their case oh television. It is expected that the Minister of Marine (Mr Scotti) will address the fishermen on Friday.