THE FISH MARKET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11717, 6 June 1916, Page 6

THE FISH MARKET.

THE MUNICIPAL SCHEME COUNCILLOR SULLIVAN'S VIEWS. Councillor I). G. Sullivan, "who hasa 1ways taken a, j»rca t- interest in the question of a jiiuiiicipn 1 fish supply, and who is ono. of its strongest advocates as a mo,-ins of providing a plentiful and chi'iip .-.upply of lisli for vho people., was interviewed l»y a "Star reporter toViay in regard in the o'ocision of the City ('ouncii not. to take any further action in the, matter a,t present.

Councillor Sullivan .-.aid that he first wished ti> tho point that there was no hostility of any kind in the council against- the scheme of a. municipal supply. The hesitation ot the council was caused by the practical difficulties that stood in the. way of the launching of such an enterprise on behalf of the city in a successful manner. The Markets Committee of tho council had. collected a largo amount of valuable information dealing with the question. Keports had been obtained from the.large cities of Australia which had municipal fish markets, and information had been sought from local fish retailers and others interested in the industry. A.s a result of the examination oi information acquired and deliberation upon it, the committee failed to sec at what point it could improve upon the organisation of the present market, if the council decided to take, ,it over as a municipal enterprise. The committee, was of opinion that the price of fish could' not be reduced under municipal control.

The one weak point that, was apparent to tho committee was in the organisation of the catching department. I That could be improved. The boats at j present used by the fishermen are all too small.- and they cannot go to sea ; for any distance, such, as woud be required to ensure complete success. Any effective scheme for reducing tho prico of fish airo providing greater supplies under a municipal system would d'epeixl upon the council having a trawler or a larger type of fishing vessel to that- in use at the present time. It would bo senseless for the Council to embark on an enterprise running into between Cl'C.O'lO and £30.000 in buying out the pro-cut markets if it were unable to reduce-the price of fish, j That, said Mr is the crux of j the tvholo ppsition. n -£J j

It, had been that the city sliould procure a trawler. But thov were expensive vessels. A small trawler, and'* an inferior and resilly inefficientone at. that, would cost between £1.500 and i'3ooo, and would cost,. roughly, £6O a week to operate. The larger type of trawler in the up-to-date centres of the industry -cost between £16.000 and £IB,OOO each, with proportionately higher operating expenses. '' So that the solving of the problem of providing cheap fish for the city would be a. big proposition," said Mr Sulivari. So far as he was personally concerned. Mr Sullivan stated; that he had always cherished the idea of a cheap and plentiful supply of fish for tho people by municipal enterprise, and he had certainly no intention of letting the matter drop. He yet hoped to see tho city controlling its own fish supply.

It may be possible to devise a retail scheme by which a larger type of catching vessel than that used by the Kaikonra fishermen at 'present can bo introduced. This would result at once in a better supply of good fresh fish at cheaper retail rates. This idea is in contradistinction to the wholesale supply scheme, which has been occupying the minds of the city authorities.

In pursuance of that idea, said Mr Sullivan, the Markets Committee will shortly meet catchers and confer with them in the same manner as has been done with the retailers. The committoo had established beyond doubt that there was no exploitation in the fish market, and catchers, retailers and the public were all being treated fairly. The catching department could bo improved, and when that done there should be cheaper fish for all.