THE OYSTER SEASON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2915, 26 January 1910, Page 58

THE OYSTER SEASON.

A LOCAL DIFFICULTY

The season for the succulent oyster opens next month. From what was told a Daily Times reporter on Friday in the course of investigations amongst those interested there seems a possibility of some difficulty -arising in connection with the obtaining of adequate local supplies. There appears to be friction existent between a large body of local fishmongers a>nd the ag<\n.t in Dunedin for the combined Bluff oyster companies. This reached such a stage that yesterday this agent took the stop of cancelling orders he had previously accepted for the supply of oysters to the fishmongers conclsirned.

THE CASE FOR THE FISHMONGERS

The position of the fishmongers concerned, as explained in various quarters, is as" follows: Three years asrc retailers could purchase oysters at 13s per sack. In successive years this has been raised—ostensibly on the plea that new bede were coming into use,—till last year the price was fixed at 15s. And it is said that the new beds will net come into use till this season! There are at the Bluff three companies engaged in the oyster business, these hsing the Bluff Fish and Oyster Company, Urwin, Roderique, and Co., and Dickson, Preston, and Co. These companies have an understanding by which the price is regulated at the Bluff, and, moreover, have la common agtemt in otheir centres—so much so in fact that they are usually referred to simply as " the company." Last year there were in Dunedin two agents for this companv—Mr Gibbs and Mr W. G. Robertson. These two agents were supposed to sell at the same price to the local fishmongers. Some 10 days ago, however, Mr Gibbs received notice that, this year there would be appointed but one agent, and that he would not be that on©. He was, however, offered tins' position of agent in Cbristchurch. This news somewhat disturbed some local fishmongers, for they thought thev saw in it an element of danger to themselves. Accordingly these fishmongers (who, in fact, run a company which, incidentally, was the means a year or so ago of preventing the fish supply of Dunedin becoming a monopoly by its action in entering the trawling business) immediately took steps to protect _ their own interests from possible exploitation by making arrangements at trie Bluff to secure an independent supply in competition, with the already existent companies. This coming to the eiars of Mr Robert-yon, the appointed Dunedin agent for the companies, the fishmongers concerned were yesterday communicated with in terms of the following ultimatum: " Provided that you obtain the whole of the pystfer* that yon use from raa, I wiji

guarantee to supply you right throughout tho season at the price of 15s par sack delivered to your shop. . - - But if you. a.re getting- your supply or pax-,, of your • supply of oysters elsewhere I cann.au undertake *hat this price will continue. Tho retailers yxana them asked to sign- an undertaking to. obtain all the oysters to be used on the betas mentioned. This they have tfelfused to do. Ts»y allege that the pries of oysters in Dunedin to them is too high- They point out that oysters can be purchased ai the Bluff at 9s per bag: the railagst to Dtjncdin is 3s per bag. They tare therefore. penalised 3s p®r bag for the. privilege pC< obtaining their. . outers m Dunedin through'the agent of the company concerned, for the company absolutely refuses to eeM to them individually at the Bluff as they hav© desired it to-do. It was pointed out to cur representative that a fishmonger at Alexandra, Mos-giel, or any other town could purehlase a sack at the Bluff at 9s, and receive; it *nto his shop at a cost of about 12s od. But Dunedin merchants will not to summed. They must obtain their supplies through the KS&nk in Dunedin at the penalty mentioned. Consequently, in . the position which has now arisen, ttiey are determined to make a stand, and anticipate thlat the arrangements +hey making will enable them to kind their own oysters in Dunedin at as low as 13s 6d per bag, even this being an allowance of 6d above the possible figure. .THE OTHER SIDE. In order to have tha matter fairly represented a Daily Times Kepresentative waited upon Mr W. G. Robertson .to obtain his version of the matter. Be* statement was that last year there wot two selling agents in Dunedin, of whom he was one. They were supposed to sell at a fixed price (15s per bag). He found his business declining, and the reason given to him was that the goods could be obtained cheaper elsewhere. That move was met this year by his scouring the sole tafieocy, and in the other centres also the company has appointedbut the one agent. He found out that steps were being taken to secure competition in this market, and in ordsr to see how the matter stood he approached the men interested, asking them what supplies they would take at a guaranteed prioei. It wlas necessary that he should know. how the matter stood in order to protect his own business. Mr Robertson contended that his action was but businesslikioi. In reference to the threat that if part of the supplies were obtained elsewhere the price might not .remain at 15s per bag, Mr Robertson said that if the supply of these' fishmongea-s failed them they would make a convenience of him. If they wanted to do that, they must pay for it. FIGHTING A RING. The fishmongers say they _ are fighting a ring, and they are determined to fight. They "state that the fish supply of Dun.edin was once in the hands of a monopoly, but in their own interests they formed a. new company, and, establishbrr thisir own trawler, broke that monopoly. They aver that it is really through. the influence lof the. fame gentleman, with whom they wore formerly in conflict, that the present position has arisen.. They hope that in their present endeavour they will be as successful as they were formerly.