["State Fish Supply", The West Australian, Saturday 30 October 1915, page 8]
STATE FISH SUPPLY.
PERTH STALL TO BE CLOSED DOWN.
In conversation with one of our reporters yesterday the Colonial Secretary (Mr. J. M. Drew) announced that he had decided to close the State fish stall in the Perth Markets as from December 1. Mr. Drew's statement was as follows:--"I have read the report of the debate in the Legislative Assembly on the vote for the State Fish Supply, and was surprised at the opposition to the venture displayed by members whose electorates have benefited by the enterprise. All the members representing Perth constituencies voted for the closing down of the undertaking on December 31. To that, of course, no objection can be taken; but as the Minister controlling the department I am justified in accepting the unanimity displayed by their Parliamentary representatives as evidence that the people of Perth do not desire a continuance of this supply. Now, I do not wish to force on the people of Perth something which apparently they do not want; and as the State fish supply is besieged with requests to extend its operations on the goldfields and in several country centres in which the provision of a regular fish supply would be a boon, I propose closing down the Perth fish stall as from December 1. I would comply sooner with the desires of the people of Perth in this connection but for the fact that some little time will be required to enable us to make the necessary arrangements for the supply and sale elsewhere of fish." Referring to the debate in the Assembly Mr. Drew said that the figures quoted by members opposing the vote were incorrect and misleading. Those figures, he added, were taken from a pamphlet issued by the Liberal League under the heading of "State Trading Concerns." The revenue from the State fish supply was given, and against that revenue there was quoted the expenditure not only of the fish supply, but the whole of the expenditure of the Fisheries Department, which had been in existence for years. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Frank Wilson) was reported to have stated that he had had to pay 1s. 2d. per lb for fish, whereas the Premier had promised that fish would be retailed at 5d. per lb. "Mr. Wilson may," added Mr. Drew, "have been charged 1s. 2d. for fish at Claremont; he never was asked to pay that price at the State stall. The maximum price at the stall is 10d. per lb. for schnapper cutlets: whole schnapper is retailed at 8d. and other classes at lower rates down to 5d lb."
