THE OYSTER INDUSTRY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12710, 22 March 1911, Page 7

THE OYSTER INDUSTRY.

(Per Press Association.)

INVERCARGILL, March, 20. A "Times" reporter interviewed Bluff oyster merchants in regard to complaints of oysters sent North. The' fact that many consignments had been rejected was fully admitted, but it Mas stated that this was solely due to the unusually warm weather. Speteial precautions had been taken to avoid storage and to ensure oysters being fresh, but merchants had appealed in vain to the Railway Department to carry oysters in insulated tracks, such as were used far the carriage of frozen meat. Under existing circumstances trucks stood about in the. sun and tarpaulin coverings only added to .the heat. Every Melbourne shipment, save one, had been entirely satisfactory, and in the case of that one trouble was caussd by the temperature of the cooling chamber being reduced to freezing point, thus killing the oysters. The Wellington suggestion that 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 close season. 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 remit, and that," any way, Bluff oysters were got from the free and open air, over which the Government coiikl claim no monopoly.