THE BLUFF OYSTERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7392, 21 March 1911, Page 8

THE BLUFF OYSTERS

WEATHER BLAMED FOR UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION. PRESS ASSOCIATION. INVERCARGILL, March 20. A "Southland Times” reporter to-day interviewed Bluff oyster merchants in regard to complaints as to the had condition of oysters sent North. That many consignments had been rejected was freely admitted, but it was stated that this was solely due to the unusually warm weather. Special precautions had been taken to avoid storage and to ensure the oysters being fresh, but merchants had appealed in vain to 1 the Railway Department to carry oysters in insulated trucks such as were used for the carriage of frozen meat. Under existing circumstances the trucks stood about in the sun, and the tarpaulin coverings only added to the heat. Every Melbourne shipment save one had been entirely satisfactory, and in the case of that one the trouble was caused by the temperature of the cooling chamber being reduced to freezing point, thus killing the oysters. The Wellington suggestion that the oysters of last year's dredging were put in with the consignments was ridiculed, it being pointed out that it was against the law to hold oysters in the close season'. The fishmongers had not been losers over the rejection, as the Bluff merchants made allowances in such cases, and consequently had made no profits this year. It was argued that if the Government took over the industry higher prices would result, and that any way the Bluff oysters were got from the free and open sea, over which the Government could claim no monopoly.