THE FISHING INDUSTRY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXXII, Issue 2805, 25 November 1931, Page 5

THE FISHING INDUSTRY

PLIGHT OF MEN. OPEN MARKET SUGGESTED. At question time at Mr A. M. Samuel’s political meeting at Mercury Bay, Mr Archibald Smith asked if the fishing industry could be brought under Government control. In reply, Mr Samuel said that he would like to see the industry protected, and would help the fishermen of Mercury Bay at any time to move in that direction. The matter was a complicated one, and he would suggest that a meeting be held the following morning to thoroughly discuss the question. .. This was done, and Mr Samuel niet the Mercury Bay fishermen on Thursday morning last. After outlining the low prices received for then’ fish, with only two days’ work a week, the men said they had hardly sufficient to pay for benzine. Mr Samuel said that, while sympathising with' them, he was of opinion the best thing to do was to get the County Chairman and one or two other influential people to call a meeting. It should be organised well and some suggestions for promise of assistance should be made He felt confident that if properly put to the authorities in Auckland there would be no difficulty in disposing of fish in the open market. People now go there to purchase. He instanced where, in Island Bay, Wellington, the fishermen had brought in some hapuka and he had offered 5s for one, without avail. The fisherman had said it had to go through the market and had refused n sell to him. The fishing industry was one that had a right to protection. Call the meeting, he urged, to get people sympathetic with the movement.. The only solution, to his mind, was an open market. He would then be able to put the matter before the Ministers concerned and get if published in the newspapers. He would look into market prices in Auckland. The men said they were now limited to two days a week, with a limit catch of 7 cwt for two men .

Mr Samuel said the people of Mercury Bay should take the matter up. That was the only way to get decent publicity. Following arc the prices quoted for fish nt Mercury Bay: Schnapper, Id large, Hd small, per lb; Terakihi, id lb; hapuka, gutted, Id; gurnard, id; cod, 2d; flounder, 3d. Kingfish, barracouta.' lemon fish and silver strip were unsaleable. Since this meeting a deputation of fishermen waited upon th? Thames' fish merchants to see what could be done to improve their position. They learned that at present there was a price war on.