OYSTER REGULATIONS.
GOVERNMENT CONTROL. , (BY TELECUAI'. f.—rRESS ASSOCIATION.) • , Auoktend, 'April' 22.': Friday week next marks the opening of the local oyster season, and at extends intoOctober, but during that'period all and sundry are debarred under, a-£2O penalty from picking an. oyster. Hitherto tho Government has protected the northern fisheries and oyster-beds by prohibiting the, picking; of oysters in season without a. license: Under the regulations now in force, however, even tho licenses,' are done away with, and the Government' alono will work the oyster-beds. The neiv regulations provide for tho takingover by the Marine Department of'the con-, trol and salo of North Island. oysters. ,No further licenses will be issued to pickers, and during the coming season, opening on May 1, the Department will commence by wdrking the beds at Waiheke Island, Pahiki, and Great Barrier Island, and those in tho middlo subdivision of tho northern fisheries. Retailers and others desiring to purchase 'oysters must negotiate through the' Marine: Department.- Tho -price, -to-bo charged is 12s.' Gd. por sack, and not loss than a single sack will bo sold. . j VIEWS OF AN AUCKLAND FISH - y. merchant:- .- (Bt TELEOEArH—SI-hOIAL COtmESI'ONBIiNT.I : .; ■' . .. Auckland, April 22. The new ■ oyster regulations'* are thus discussed by a leading fish merchant:—"The now system will work very well," ho said'to a "Star" representative -this morning, "but the Government, by charging' 12s. Gd. per sack, is going to make full half of that amount clear profit. In such a good season' as this it should bo an easy : mattbr to get tho oysters picked.at 6s. ''per"sack f af Waiheke, : and sold in Auckland at 7s. Any; man dan easily pick three sacks at a tide,: and' somo . seasons, ',when, tho; oysters - wore plentiful, we s used to ' get thbui picked at 2s. 6d. per- sack. ' Last: season the pickers, combined and raised tho price'up to , lis. and lGs.i with the result, that' tho public had to pay unfair prices. While the action of tho Government in taking up the wholesalo oyster" business ' cuts -against us,: it -i-n-ill at least: prevent a; recurrence of' such a combination as ,was responsible for_ the high prices last year. 1 At tho samo time, with oysters as I plentiful as they, are this season,' 12s, 6d. per sack is vory high, tfnd-the Government is oil tho look-out for a big profit. At Waiheke and the Barrier it is questionable if the beds have not been allowed;to run too long. .'Personally, I am of tho opinion, that they ,wero ready' for pickiiig three years ago, but the fact remains-that the simply will tako a'lot of depleting, and tho be'ds 'look .bettor now than tlioy liavo done for many years."
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Bibliographic details
Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 178, 23 April 1908, Page 4
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446OYSTER REGULATIONS. Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 178, 23 April 1908, Page 4
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