THE SIZE OF FLOUNDERS.

Evening Star, Issue 8613, 5 September 1891, Page 2

THE SIZE OF FLOUNDERS.

A meeting of fishermen was held at the office of Mr Sullivan, Staff jrd street, this afternoon anrnt the contemplated increase of the limit at which flounders might be taken.

A petition which had been framed set forth. inter alia, “that flounders were never more plentiful in the Otago Harbor district; that there were only forty or fifty places is the harbor where nets could be worked for flounder-fishing, and miles of the harbor where fish could remain unmolested; and that the supply of flounders came from the Pacific Ocean into the harbor.” Ko limit had been found necessary at Homs# although 11,900 tons of fresh fish were delivered in the Billingsgate market last April, of which a considerable-proportion were flounders. If the limit was raised from 9!n to Ilia it wo aid reduce the taka by more than 50 per cent and throw seventy men out of employment. The petitioners courted investigation, and urged that a commission should be appointed to inquirer into the matter before any alteration was made. They urged that the proposed limit should notbe allowed to become law. Letters were read from Messrs James Hills, H. 8. Fish, jun. (M.H.K*.), and Hr O. H. Thomson, the former stating that be would have communicated earlier on the subject had there been a chance of the Bill becoming law this session. The Minister was considering whether or not he should amend the regnlartions, and was inclined to raise the minimum to lOln, but he would do nothing till the session was over. In another letter Mr Mills said; “Of course if It can be shown that the sea flounders and the lake flounders require different treatment, I should be very glad to represent the matter to the Minuter, and no doubt he would consider any suggestion favorably. Mr Fish said it appeared that they bad been asked to move by people interested in the fishing at Lake Bllesmere. Hr Thomson wrote, as far as his experience went, that the flounders were as plentiful in the market as they had been. Professor Hutton was probably' correct as resarded Chris'church market, which had always been poorly supplied with fish, the Aching grounds being limited. The correspondence and the petition having been discussed, it was resolved “That (bo following members be thanked for the great interest they have taken In ou welfare:—Messrs James Mills, H. 8. Fish, D. Pinkerton, W. Hutchison, W. Ferns haw, and Sir John Hall-” It was proposed by Mr Davidson, seconded by Mr fIotDKV, and earned unanimously “ That a hearty vote of thanks be given to Mr 8. J. Sullivan for the energy and trouble he has taken in this matter.”