REJECTED OYSTERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12410, 21 March 1911, Page 2

REJECTED OYSTERS.

CPer Prefeft A Attention.) INVEMGARGILL, last night "A Timei* reportfcf to-day interviewed the Bluff oyster merchants m regard to the complaints as to the bad condition of oysters Rent north. ' The fact 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, the merchahts had appealed m vain to the J Railway Department to carry oysters m insulated trucks, such as were used for the carriage of frozen meat. Under existing circumstances the trucks stood about m the sun, arid -tarpaulin epv-j eringfl only I added tortile, % at - Every Melbourne) shipment Wye jOtie. had been entirely satisfactory^ and m. • thfe 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 oysters of lust year's dredging were, put m SirrMi-the consignments was ridiculed, it being pointed' out .that it was against the law to hold oysters m the olqse season. The. fishmongers had not been, losers over the rejection, as the . Bluff merchants made allowances m such cases, and consequently had made no profits this year. .It was arpued,that if ..the. Government, took over the industry higher prices would- result, aild that, any^ray, Btiin* oysters were got from the free and> open sea, oy«r which the Qovernment i could claim no monopoly- '"""*•' '