SALE OF WHITEBAIT AND OYSTERS

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 239, 4 July 1940, Page 8

SALE OF WHITEBAIT AND OYSTERS

Amended Licensing Notices

PURPOSE EXPLAINED BY

MINISTER

Two amending licensing notices have been issued under tlie provisions of the Industrial Efficiency Act, 1936, relating to the sale of whitebait and dredge-oysters. The two licensed industries affected are fish wholesalers and fish retailers, and in both cases the definition of “fish” for the purposes of the notices had been amended to include Foveaux Strait or dredge-oysters within the licensed industries and to exclude whitebait. The effect of flic amending notices so far as whitebait is concerned is that persons will not now require to be licensed to sell whitebait whether by wholesale or retail.

The Acting-Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr. Wilson, in a statement yesterday, made it clear that no person could sell dredge-oysters by wholesale without the authority of the Bureau of Industry.

A clause m the amending notice relating to wholesalers states in effect that existing fish wholesalers’ licences do not extend to the sale by wholesale of dredge-oysters, so that all persons desirous of selling these oysters by wholesale must apply immediately to the Bureau of Industry. In the retail industry, the position is different, however, and present holders of . fish retailers’ licences may sell oysters subject to the existing conditions of their licences without further reference to the bureau. Definition of Fish.

The definition of “fish” in the wholesaler’s notice has been made more detailed, and now reads:— “(a) ‘Fish’ includes every species of fish and shellfish found in New Zealand waters except trout, whitebait and rock-oysters; and includes such fish, whether fresh, fresh-frozen or smoked, but does not include such fish when preserved (as distinct from packed only) in cans, jars or other hermetically sealed containers.” The Auckland rock-oysters, which are under the control of the Marine Department, are not involved at all in the amending notices. “With the approach of the whitebait season,” said the Minister, “it was realized that many administrative difficulties iu the matter of licensing the wholesale and retail distribution of whitebait were likely to arise and result in a great deal of work which might be looked upon as other than essential during the relatively short period of the whitebait season. Wholesaling of Oysters.

“In regard to the wholesaling of oysters, there has been some dissatisfaction expressed at the changeover in the methods of distribution which were adopted at the beginning of the current season in February last. All concerned will now have an opportunity of submitting applications to the Bureau of Industry for licences to sell these oysters by wholesale, and have tlie applications considered on their merits.

“On the retail side,” concluded the Minister, “there are several oyster saloons in New Zealand which deal in oysters only and these will require to make application to the bureau forthwith.”