STEWART ISLAND OYSTERS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13331, 21 March 1911, Page 5

STEWART ISLAND OYSTERS.

WHY THEY ARE “OFF." (Per United Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, March 20 A Times reporter to-day interviewed th Bluff oyster merchants in regard to con plaints as to-,.the bad condition of th oysters sent North. The fact that man consignments had been rejected was free! admitted, but it was stated that this w« solely due to the. unduly warm wcathci Special “precautions had been taken t avoid storage, and to ensure tire oystei being fresh» but : the merchants bad af pealed in vain to the Railway Departmen to carry oysters in insulated trucks, true as were used for the carrying of froze: meat. Under the existing circumstance the trucks stood about in the sun, an. the. tarpaulin coverings only added to th heat. Every Melbourne shipment save on had been entirely satisfactory, and in th case of that ono the trouble was cause by the temperature of the cooling chani her being reduced to freezing point, thu killing the oysters. The Wellington sug gestiou that oysters of last year’s dredging were put in with consignments wa ridiculous, it being pointed out that i was against the laV to hold oysters in th close season... Fishmongers had not bee losers over the, rejections, as the BlU! merchants made allowances in euch easel and consequently had made no profits thi year. It was argtied that if the Govern ment took over the industry higher price would result, and that any way the Blul oysters wdre got from the* free and opei sea, over which the Government coul claim no monopoly.