THE FISHING INDUSTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17006, 13 November 1918, Page 8

THE FISHING INDUSTRY

BOARD OF TRADE REPORT, 1

NO DESTRUCTION ( '.-.T.nop nSfl

Reference to the fHi.i'i,. r industry of the Dominion is made ' In :. the : annual re;>ort of the Boanl of Trad* 1 , presented to IVliament lart week.

' During the period '.tier le'view," sjv« the report, '' the board has kept in close touch with th« fishing: industry at Dm edin, Port UliiJiners, Napier, Wellington, and Auckland. The -ievelopmer.t c! thin important industry is-great'y retarded oK-iuij t<i difficulties ill connection with supplies' ft' material?, cue ti war con ditions. The enterprise shown at Aurk ' land lias resulted m tunc city bem* snp plied with fish at prices which ar« considerably cieaper, generally speaking than in any other part, oi the iMminioi.. The prices of fish in Auckland hav f increased of- latt.-r month.*, owing maallv to the increased cost of almost all tho equipment used in connection with the trawling industry, and, in addition, to the increase granted in wages to the workers employed in the calling, and to the fart that one of the trawlers belonging to th» municipal authorities is being u.«»d in defence work.

" In Wellington, Chnstchurcb and Dim edin prices have fluctuated considerably, owing mainly to the abnormal nether experienced affecting supplies, the withdrawal of the largest trawler employed in New Zealand waters for defence purposes, and, for a time, the fact that thjse fishermen using motor-boats were handicapped owing to shortage of petrol supplies. In this Fast connection the board was able to render material assistance by ensuring regular supplies to fishermen at a reasonable price. The board would emphasise I the fact that the provision of cheap fish tj the consumers of New Zealand generally is dependent upon a largo expenditure o! capital for the purchase of suitable equipment, trawlers, and for the provision of cool storage and insulated transport; and dufing the war period it is hopeless to expect that the necesearv capital to provide this equipment can be secured. Indeed, it is only by very strenuous endeavour that the supplies, of wire rope, nets, etc. have been secured from abroad" Several complaints were received by tie board regarding fish prices in the SoutL Island. It was alleged that in order to maintain high prices edible fish was frequently dumped overboard. On inquiry these allegations were fopiid to be incor rect, as any fish fit for human consumption could readily be disposed of, and only such as had become useless for that purpose was destroyed, this beine due to tJw fish being kept in exposed positions owing to lack of cool-storage accommodation.