MUNICIPAL FISH MARKET

Evening Star, Issue 17919, 15 March 1922, Page 4

MUNICIPAL FISH MARKET

INTERVIEW WITH THE MAYOR. GOVERNMENT PINCHED FOB MONEY. I THAT THE REASON OF THE STICK-UP. In tho course of an interview this morning the Mayor of Duncdiu (Mr J- is. Douglas) said : Tlio proposal for the establishment ot a, municipal fish market is a subject that I personally advocated as a member of tho council, and while chairman of the General Committee thus subject was one of our main policy questions, with the result that after a, very full investigation a report, with recommendations giving tho council authority, was submitted to Parliament, and a Bill was put through the > Housegiving us certain powers to deal with this industrv. We 'then started to negotiate about, securing a suitable site, and instructed our officers to submit a report and' recommendations as to which would bo most, suitable. When; this came before tho council wo were faced with financial difficulties, and tho council decided to hold over the question for six. months. Tho scheme at that timo was on a very comprehensive scale, similar to that at tho abattoirs in respect to meat. The building in view was to make adequate provision for cleaning fish, also to include a chilling room, smoking room, and general facilities for receiving and disposing of the fish. The summary of the doings as detailed by the representative- of the fishermen so far as it goes regarding these abstracts and file reports is correct, likewise tho statement made by Cr Gilkison, who has always been a strong advocate, along with Cr Ilayward, for a fish and municipal market.

There arc many other points connected wjth the negotiations in the furtherance of which I received information regarding the outcome of the conference which I arranged on behalf of the council whilo in Wellington between tho Board of Trade and representatives of the various interested! authorities in this city. Much of this was 'supplied on account of my repeated efforts on behalf of tho council to get a definite decision and have some action taken,

No doubt the statement furnished by tho fishermen's representative has boon given with tho best intentions, and if it will assist to make tho Government fulfil its promise the citizens will welcome the efforts to furnish a plentiful supply of cheap fish.

| But in justice to the present council and its General Committee I. feel certain that the facts which could bo adduced do not warrant the criticism bef-fowed. I venture. to state that the fishermen could advise you and tho public that one of the main requirements recommended' by the Board of Trade has now been turned down by the Government owing'to lack of funds. The main part in the last negotiation with the Board of Trade and City Council was to secure a. new site for a receiving depot as near tho wharf and railway as possible, and the council, like the l'isherinon, has been waiting for this decision. At tho conference in the Town Hall with the Board of Trade it was decided thai, the question a'3 to tho supply and l disposal of fish should be confined to? three subjects: (1) Tho erection of a freezer at Port Chalmers or Buncdin; (2) transport facilities by the Railway Department; (3) tho location of a site and tho council's responsibility for the cleanliness of tho site. Tho resolutions como to at the conference were, in the first place, to recommend to the Board of Trade that proper freezing facilities be provided at Port Chalmers; secondly, strongly urging tho Board of Trade to approach the Railway Department, with a view to providing a proper Landing stage at Port Chalmers, and that facilities be provided for ilia discharging of four boats instead of one.; and the question of site for tho market was left to the decision of the Raihvaj' Department. Since then we have been waiting for the. completion of the negotiations as to t.hie ■ site, tho council standing by in readiness to carry out its promise as to the build ing as soon as the site was fixed. Wo arc etili waiting to know about the site. In the meantime w r e have learned, though it is not officially notified, that the Government, owing to financial difficulties, has turned down the Board, of Trade's _ recommendation as to the erecting of a freezer and other things at Port Chalmers. That settles the whole matter tat present. The question is hung up, not by tho City Council, not by the Board of Trade, and not by the fishermen, but by tho Government. Tho repoiter asked what the, council was likely to do about putting the old site in order, and Mr Douglas replied that if definite information is received that tho Government was not going on with tho new site (he council will take fiction to put the present site into condition.