OYSTER DISPUTE CONTINUES

Southland Times, Issue 24115, 2 May 1940, Page 6

OYSTER DISPUTE CONTINUES

Bluff Canning Works Closed PARTICULARS OF MEN’S EARNINGS No further developments occurred yesterday in the oyster dispute and no discussions between the men and the merchants took place. The possibility of the dispute being dealt with under the Strike and Lockout Emergency Regulations has been mentioned, and an early announcement on this point is expected. Particulars of the wages earned by oystermen in the company’s dredging vessel were given in a statement issued yesterday by Stewart Island Canneries Ltd., whose works have been closed. The company states that for 21 working days last month the earnings were: Captain, £79; engineer, £73; three oystermen, each £64. Taking the figures over a longer period a more accurate result can be obtained, says the statement. In the 1939 season of seven months and ahalf, there were 144 working days of approximately 12 hours each. The earnings were: Captain, £463 (£6l/14/- a month); engineer, £426 (£56/16/- a month); three oystermen, each £378 (£5O/8/- a month). In the present season, which began on February 15, there were eight working days in the half month of February, for which the earnings were: Captain, £32; engineer, £29; three oystermen, each £26. March was a bad month for all concerned because of the weather, Easter holidays and the strike. The working days were reduced to nine. The earnings were: Captain, £23; engineer, £2l; three oystermen, each £l9. The loss of at least a portion of the export trade to Australia as a result of the closing of the canning works is feared. It was stated that Bluff oysters in their canned form met with strong opposition in Australia. Japan and America both catered for the market there, and it was only the better quality of Bluff oysters which enabled them to retain a share of that market.

SUPPLIES NEARLY EXHAUSTED An acute shortage of oysters is expected in Invercargill as a result of the present dispute.' Some retailers have already exhausted their stocks and others have only short supplies. Oysters were in great demand yesterday. Only one of the retailers interviewed had any appreciable supplies on hand and it was stated that these would last only until tomorrow.

One retail firm had a small stock of oysters which was expected to be exhausted by the end of the afternoon. It was stated that the oysters were of particularly good quality, being large and firm, and the demand was keen. Another retail firm had no raw oysters in stock yesterday, but had supplies of cooked oysters only. As there are reported to be no oysters on the beds at Bluff, additional supplies cannot come to hand until a settlement is reached and the oyster fleet resumes dredging operations. One firm had good supplies of oysters but these, it was stated, would be exhausted by tomorrow. The last consignment reached Invercargill from Bluff on Monday.