QUALITY OF OYSTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20603, 30 June 1930, Page 10

QUALITY OF OYSTERS.

OOMPLAINT BY DEALERS. "SMALL AND ILL-NOURISHED." INFLUENCE OF LOCALITY. Complaint has been made by dealers that the quality of the oysters which have been sold by the Government oyster depot since the beginning of the season is very poor, as compared with previous years. It is also stated that the majority of the oysters are small and suggest immaturity. From a man who was busy on Saturday morning oponing oysters at a fish shop came the complaint that he had never handled such poor quality shell-fish and he had been opening oysters "ever since he could remember." At the time he was engaged with a pile which he 'declared had come from the Bay of Islands bedj. He said that on an average every second one he opened had a "wasted" look and was of a dark, uninviting colour. Only occasionally did one strike a patch of really healthy-looking oysters. In the opinion of this man, the oysters were collected mainly from muddy bed 3 and from up-river reaches. There they did not obtain tho rich food which the purely rock oysters thrived upon. They were ill-nourished owing to the fact that the water which flowed about them was not pure and. sweet, as in the case of the rock oyster. As to their smallness, he said that this could have been rectified had they been kept dry for a fortnight and allowed to absorb the moisture already inside their shells. The representative of a large firm of dealers and a restaurant-proprietor both stated that there was justification for the complaint. It was stated that the oysters which' had come from the depot were apparently all from East Coast beds. With a few exceptions, such as those coming from Great Barrier Island, the oystors were of poor quality. This might be duo to-their being not properly matured, but it was more likely they were .naturally poor. It was stated, however, that the season began earlier this year and there appeared every reason to believe that the quality would improve. It was officially stated at the depot that no complaints had been received from dealers. There had been a brisk sale at ;the depot and dealers appeared to be satisfied with their purchases. Tho proprietor of a leading restaurant stated that he had found the oysters small,' but the quality seemed up to standard.