THE KAIPARA AND WAITEMATA With which is incorporated " The Kaipara Advertiser & Waitemata Chronicle." Helensville, Thursday, April 1, 1915 FISH OH!

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 1 April 1915, Page 2

THE KAIPARA AND WAITEMATA With which is incorporated " The Kaipara Advertiser & Waitemata Chronicle." Helensville, Thursday, April 1, 1915 FISH OH!

To tho householder, j^gjth in city and suburbs, the priu lc of iish is often a worry, besides being also exorbitant, and the question arises as to the cause of this. The fisherman's occupation, at the best of it, is a precarious one. He goes out to sea in all weathers ; when he has a bad catch, ho. suffers, so also the consumer ; when he has a big haui, the market becomes glutted, and the dealer plays with the price, in fact, refuses to take more than a minimum supply on the lower scale. Here again, the consumer •is in the hands of the dealers—otherwise a ring. In Auckland of r;><TMit date, a Municipal JrUh M;;rUct has been started, with a. view of giving the consul nor ;• <H>ntinu»

ous supply at a minimum, of cost, and so sweeping out the dealers, who have ali alongheld the monopoly oi: supply and demand. And, so far as the Echo can grasp at the results, complete failure appears to supervene, and the consumer is no better off than heretofore.

The existing trouble now is as between the. fishermen and the dealers, and a deadlock has been arrived at. The Usher-

men of Helensville have joined the Auckland Fishermen's Union, while the dealers of Auckland have formed a Union of their own.

The following are the recommendations of the Fishermen's Union : — . !

1. That the management of the Municipal Fish Market receive fish at any hour, and take delivery from steamer or train at all hours, " freight forward."

2. That all fish of bona fide members of this Union should be accpted by the Market. 3. That all fish tendered to the the Market should be accepted and paid for at the price to be determined between the Municipal authorities and this Union.

4. The Kaipara and Onehunga fishermen suggest that the price of mullet during the months of November, December, January, and February inclusive, 2/ per single dozen ; from March Ist to October 31st, 3/ per single doz.

Flounder —From' November Ist to February 28th inclusive, the price to be 1/6 for small, and 3/ for large. From March; Ist to October 31st, the price should be 2/ for small and 3/6 for large. For the purpose of classification : Flats of under 11 inches including Bins dabs shall be classed as small fish.

Mixed Fish.—That such as gurnet, travelli, kawhai, etc., shall be sold at the rate of not less than 2/ per single doz. That the price of butterfish and cod shall be not less than 3/ per single doz. That the price for harpuka shall be not less than 2^d per lb for uncleaned fish and not less than 3d per lb for gutted fish.

Mullet.—That the price of mullet during- the. Auckland mullet fishing season be not less than 3/ per single doz. for size of under 3^ins, and 6/ per single doz..for the size of 3^ins and over.

Schnapper. —It is further and1 lastly recommended that schnapper shall in future and until further notice, be paid for at the rate of 3/6 per bundle of not more than 241bs in weight.

According to the Auckland *• Star," the situation is thus put:—ln the case of Manukau and Kaipara mullet the men are asking for an increase of Is 6cl per dozen, or 100 per cent advance on existing rates, until October 31st next. For Auckland mullet a rise of Is a dozen is being asked. In the case of flounder a rise of 6d a dozen is asked, on the present prices of Is 6d small and 3s large. A similar increase is asked in the case of mixed fish, which are now bought at Is 6d per dozen, while the demand m the case of hapuka is for an advance from 2d to 2± per lb. For schnapper the present rate is 3s per bundle of not less than 241bs. Under the Union's schedule 6d per bundle increase is asked, while what has hitherto been the maximum weight is to be the minimum.