The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-07-05
BUT TER AND
CHICKENS
Former Butter and
Eggman Writes
of Hawaii.
POINTS OUT
OPPORTUNITIES
Also Shows Wherein Producers
Have Strong Odds With
Which to Contend. s G5..s

The stenographic reporter of the
House of Representatives, Mr.. ]. Dix
on Avery. is, aside from being a stenog4
rapher, a great fancier of chickens and
fine cattle. During his three and a half
years residence in Honolulu he has
made a study of the conditions sur
rounding the poultry and creamery in
terests here, and IN recent number of
THE Creamery Journal Red Book"
contributed an article embodying the
same. The following is Mr.. Avery's
contribution in full:
1t is four years since 1 went through
1.-The April egg craze" but in reading
The Egg Reporter and looking over its
advertising columns it seems almost as
though it was the season of 81 that
was being portrayed. Prices are dit
ferent but the same Old story of bullish,
irresponsible buyers in the country is
there.
l presume, however, that you would
rather hear a little something about the
doings of the festive egg in Hawaii
nei.''
If there ever was place where eggs
is eggs it is in Uncle Sans baby Ter
rNory. We do discriminate between
goose eggs and hens eggs, but, unless
it has been introduced within the past
few months such thing as candllng
eggs is unknown. That does not neces-
sarily mean that we are behind the
times, but on the other hand the rapid
growth of Honolulu will make 1T neces-
sary to candle eggs pretty soon. AS 1t
is, our supplies. are drawn almost en-
tirely from the suburbs, but each month
adds to the importations of California
eggs and some eggs also come in from
the country. So far as l know there
are no eggs brought in from the other
islands.
The eggmen here are Chinese truck
gardeners, and they bring you eggs
right TO your door or to your nearest
Chinese grocery store. The American
merchants also buy from these sources,
but most people prefer to deal with the
little corner grocery, usually owned by
"a Chinese firm, on account of the eggs
being fresher. These eggs are not sold
by the dozen but SO many for dollar,
or for a quarter, and the price varies
from ten for quarter down to seven
or five for twenty-five cents. That is
brought about by the method Of trad
ing, which is cash on the spot, unless
your vegetable Chinan1an knows you,
and then, as q great accommodation
he will extend you a Zine of credit
until the end of the week, but, like
South Water street, Monday is settle
ment day" In the three years and g.
half that I have been here I have never
known eggs to go below thirty cents
dozen, and I believe the price has held
pretty steady at between forty and fif-
| ty cents. The season does not make
| any difference materially with eggs
here, as they usually have little chance
to turn before they are used.
! The most of the eggs that have been
! imported from the Mainland came from
California, but Kansas eggs have been
introduced here, and the finest Indiana
eggs might also do we'll here. The inn
ported eggs go mostly to the restauf-
ants, but the larger American retail
groceries, of which we have several
magnificent establishments, are using
them somewhat now.
| Eggs here are mostly small, the hens
not seeming to thrive for some reason,
and on that account / ventured soon
after coming to the islands to bring
down some samples of good butter and
eggs The invoice called for about 500,
| but the freight was about $40; the GUS
! tom house demanded bond on account
| of some red tape not complied with l
| handled through one of the largest gro
GERS in the city, who got me thirty and
thirty-five cents for the eggs and about
the same price for Elgin butter, some
bringing forty-five and even fifty cents,
but when the stuff was about sold, l
received a penal summons from the
! District Court to show cause why ]
| should not be fined not to exceed STU
for the heinous offense of having lit
tile American enterprise. Notwithstand-
ling I had conferred with the Chief JUS
| tfce and he had looked up the prece-
dents for me, had the option of either
paying fine of not less than $50 or
taking out A merchandise" license
which cost $50 and stamps in order to
sell 800 worth of goods. Of course,
took out the license. and, in addition
I had to contribute about SIS to the
public treasury for the violation Of the
revenue law, was told there was
IOn6StiOn ABOUT the ACT DSlHS a VIVA
ton and it would be reversed on appeal
linasmuch as the local firm that was
handling my goods paid license to the
Government on the very same goods
that I was compelled to pay on, but
lawyers are like eggs here-they come
high, and I was not willing to inves
any more money in the courts.
However. those eggs and the butter
(which came with them, together with
later shipment which I made on account
of having the license anyway, mace
4 many friends here. and If there is al
lenterprising creamery concern or egE
dealer that wants to put up f1ne ar
tic1e he viii find market for 1T here
provided 1t is properly packed for SCI
Transportation and is "bang up" t
start with. Any defects. however, ar
brought to light in the long trip t
Honolulu and 1t is useless to ship lnfe
, rior goods to this market.