The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-04-16


market is crowded and traders brisk
HOW PRICE IS REGULATED.
The price is not regulated by the a.
mount of the days catch but more so
by the number of people there happen
to be in the market at any one time.
The commission man wishes to be busy
all of the time. When the market is
crowded and the demand is brisk he
puts up the price without reference TO
the quantity OF fish offering but should
be have but slim crowd the price
may be cut in two. Once in a while
the quantity cuts some figure. Take
rnullet for instance. During this week
more muilet has been brought into the
market than IN the same number of
days during any other week of the past
year. Great big fellows can be had
even when the demand for Them is
brisk, at about five for the quarter and
at some periods of the day. when there
are few buyers in sight, a man can take
a dozen of them for the one quarter
One can buy any of nearly hundred
kinds of fish at the market most any
day. Yesterday one could have pur-
chased many kinds OF crabs, cells, small
sharks, swordfish, devilfish, or squids,
or a score of gaudy coIored little fishes
for which there seemed to be quite
demand There were small green fishes
on sale at two for twenty-five cents.
There were fish about a foot in length
for which the commission man demand
ed half dollar and there were tinv
little ones, which a stranger would
scorn on account of their size but which
are regarded by some who know their
quality and flavor as great dainties,
and these We're held at shout five for
a quarter-just about enough to fill
ones vest pocket.
WORK OF THE INSPECTOR.
Through the fish inspector. a man
acquainted with every sort
of fish, the Board of Health protects
the public against stale or contaminat-
ed fish. Inspector Solomon PaaweIa |
makes his rounds with a big basket |
very frequently. He stops in front of |
4 stall and grabs fish,. He squeezes (
It. fiops it about and turns it over, and |
perhaps throws it into his basket This |
means that particular fish is past /
The commission man IS !
examining with his eyes a
after high above his head. He hears
he fish drop in the basket and becomes
wen more intent upon the examination
If the rafter. Then Paawela grabs an
'ther fish, this time a very large one,
aging quickly: Hey. you sell in half
lour. Sell quick. No sell half hour
vou throw away Thus does Paawela
ell the commission man that if that
will spoil before it can reach GUS
omer's home. The commission man
years blank look on his face but is
Interested a little and in a few moments
viii make really brisk endeavor to
nd Paawela scents a box of crabs.
hey are dainty looking little fellows,
ut they drop rapidly into Sofs basket.
,nly a few remain on the marble slab.
When Sol has finished his examination
he commission man arranges what is
Eft in an attractive manner and pro-
eeds with his business as if nothing
ad happened. Paawela makes his
ounds often and it is unlikely that
lany of the ten thousand fish sold in
ne market each day turn out as bad
mes. And in spite of the many fish he
Obliged to take away from the deal
rs each day, Paawela manages to re-
ain their friendship. In his small of
&c he makes out a daily statement of
IL fish brought into the market, their
ames, number and source, and also
ne number condemned. These reports
o to the Board of Health and in time
lrnish valuable statistics concerning
ne food fishes of the islands.
THE COMMISSION MERCHANT.
All fish are sold by Chinese commits
on dealers. They are usually brought
l from sea by Japanese fishermen
he latter have no direct check on the
Jmmission men. When they deliver
lie fish they of course know the num-
er and varieties of them but at the
nd of the day they can have no pos
BILE way of knowing at what price the
hinaman has sold them. He states
lie amount he has received for the
sh. charges a commission fee of ten
er cent, and pays the remainder to the
apanese. If the Jap sampan man con-
ders the price small he takes his
itch of the next day to another mer-
liant. He then tries other dealers and !
? noting the amounts he receives from
fferent ones he finally determines
hich dealer gives him a fair price. :
ut the Chinese dealers have a high
putation for honesty and there are .
ldom any disputes between them and !
e fishermen :
In addition to the fish stalls in the !,
arket there are stalls for the sale of :,
eat, fruit. vegetables and other arti- !,
IS of food. Across the street are !.
mber of small stores where live :
ultry is sold. There are seventy-two
ais in the market and as these are :
arly all filed the owners of the mar
t building have made quite a profita-