AUSTRALIAN OYSTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20988, 26 September 1931, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN OYSTERS.

SALE IN NEW ZEALAND.

PROHIBITION BY DEPARTMENT.

FEAR OF INTRODUCING PESTS. The request of an Auckland firm, the Oceanic Fisheries Company, for permission to import and sell New South Wales ovsters in New Zealand during the close season here, has been rejected by the Government.

In a letter to the company the secretary of the Marine Department, Mr. G. C. Godfrey, stated that although there was nothing at present to prevent the importation of New South Wales oysters, their sale was barred by the Fisheries Act. "Apart from that," states the letter, "the department is well aware that the New South Wales oysters are affected by a number of pests which dcf not exist in New Zealand, and it has been decided to prohibit their importation into this Dominion."'

Mr. J. S. Rossi, ot the Oceanic Fisheries Company, has uovv written to the Minister of Marine, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe. He has asserted in his letter that New Zealand oysters are much more pestinfested than the Australian species, and also that any pests introduced with the importation of New South Wales oysters would be dead before they reached New Zealand

As the Marine Department in Auckland opened the season for only three monLhs in the year dealers could not get supplies beyond that period, stated Mr. Rossi. Some of the best oyster beds, such as exist at Hokianga. had not been picked for 16 years, and in the writer's opinion the department was losing at least £3OO a week at the present time by not making use of these beds. If the dealers in Auckland were to give their orders a week in advance the department would know exactly what supplies were required. There were inspectors in every district and the oysters could easily be picked at any time.