["Condensed Correspondence", The West Australian, Tuesday 15 December 1914, page 4]
FISH FOR THE CITIZENS.
Referring to the remarks of the Colonial Secretary in the Legislative Council concerning the fish supply of the metropolis, "Piscator," Queen's Park makes a suggestion of a practical character. According to Mr. Drew, his colleagues recognise that at the present time there is considerable distress in the community and numbers of men are not in regular employment. They admit further that fish are scarce and dear, and, in order to benefit the community the offer of a company of Norwegian ship owners to supply a small whaling steamer at a nominal charge has been accepted in order that the poorer classes may presumably obtain cheap fish. Putting aside the fact that the present Govornment promised the community cheap meat, milk, bricks, and a wonderful State steamship service, all without tangible result, "Piscator" considers that its latest proposal to catch fish, convey them to the market, and sell them at reasonable rates is foredoomed to failure. Schnapper, which cost nothing in the first instance beyond the labour of catching them, were retailed at the same price or higher than mutton or lamb cutlets, as the result of the first Government consignment from Sharks Bay, and the Colonial Secretary now says that if the scheme does not pay it will be closed down as far as his department is concerned. "Piscator" is of opinion that it is a somewhat callous statement to make in the face of the avowed declaration that the latest socialistic experiment was instigated by a desire to supply cheap fish for the people and inferentially to afford employment to some of the men out of work. He suggests that boats and fishing tackle should be provided at all fishing centres and let out to men competent and willing to garner the harvest of the sea, which is always teeming with fish of high commercial value. Scores of men would jump at the chance of catching fish, and just now there is an unlimited demand for almost anything with fins and scales. The Fisheries Department could arrange details – that is, if the Government is really sincere in the matter; and the people of the metropolis would take all that could be caught for months to come – but not at the fancy price of nine pence a pound for schnapper. That (says our correspondent) is the rate charged for a portion of the Government consignment at the Perth fish stall, and, as very few people can afford to buy fish at that price, the latest trading enterprise of the Labour Government would appear to have been undertaken in the interests of hotel and restaurant keepers rather than on behalf of the poor and needy. The Chief Inspector of Fisheries has always deplored the fact that four-fifths of the men engaged in the fishing industry of this State are aliens, so that time is opportune for starting a number of 'Britishers' in pleasant and lucrative employment--the Government, of course, taking all the fish caught and retailing them at its meat and fish shops at the actual cost price.
