STATE OYSTER=PICKING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 197, 14 May 1908, Page 4

STATE OYSTER=PICKING.

MR. AYSON IN'DEFENCE. (BY TELEaRAm,— SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) '< T , . Auckland, Mav 12. . in reply, to.somo criticism recently levelled at tho Government control' of „the Auckland' oyscer. beds, the Chief Inspector of -Fisheries' .(Mr* Ayson) stated yesterday that tho beds m tho past seasons suffered so severely from indiscriminate , picking' that tho limiting of ,picked by each maai per dav to.-three .bags -was rendered necessary, in order that -the beds may bo moro carefullypicked. Tho men aro paid at rates which to earn a fair wage, and at tho saino time dischargo their duty with judicious , care. Tho, - statement ' tiiat ..only •50 mon arc employed this 'season is incorrect. As a matter of'fact thoro aro over 70, or will bo this"week.''There aro 35 pickers at'fclio o f Islands, and 30 nt Waihek-o Island; oix additional pickers wero engaged to startwork last Ilnirsday, but somo of them did not turn up. Arrangements have been made to supply their places this week. Tho shortage in last week's supply is accounted tor partly by tho. weather conditions. Hieh water occurrcd in the middle of the day last week, and at high water the beds cannot bo worked, \\ith- the extra pickors availablo this week, .and being ablo to work through % greater portion of tho day, it is protty certain that a very much better supply of oysters will be sent in. Mr. Ayson's view is that, in making such a radical chango, with an important industry, it is not expected that' tho actual requirements of tho market can bo known tho nrst woek, and, therefore, any criticism of the method and'the supply under Government management is somewhat premature.- With reference to tho complaints about the price charged at the depot,-12s. 6d. por bag, tho Unct Inspector claims that this is a very reasonablo rate. Numerous incidental expenses have occurred in connection with the Government taking over the control of the oyster industry,, such as tho renting of prem c ls f? r ■, Payment, of a staff,- the-wages or tho pickers, and other oxpenscs. ' When theso are met, there is very -little, if any; proht for the Government for the control of tho industry. Tho Govornmolit, so it is stated, simply desires; to cover the cost of administering and working this national industry m a proper manner, compatible with the' permanent preservation of. tho oyster bods, which aro the property of tho people. 1 In any case, tho price charged is lower than the wholesale rates of last season and tho Government is not responsible for prices that may be charged by retailors after tho oysters aro taken from the depot. Tho Department' 1 A -T so , u says > ' s .trying to preservo tho pystor bods for all time, and is working for that ond. . Parts of tho beds that liavo.been, opon during tho past few seasons in tho Hauraki Gulf, have been ripped to pieces by indiscriminate picking, and left in such' a 6tato that they cannot bo opened for .real's to come. Had the Government not stepped in. tho samo thing would have occurred at tho remainder of the Gulf beds and at tho Bay of Islands. The supply last week totalled 905 bags, 922 of which wero received nt tho Auckland depot, and distributed from thore.