Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-08-07
PUT CURB
ON WHOLESALERS
OF FISH At HILO
District Magistrate of the Big
Island Would Have Food
Commission Regulate Indus
try and Prices Through .Spe-
ciaI Agents
<+++ ++++++ ~

Fix the maximum and mini y
mum wholesale price and max y
imum retail price for each gen y
= eral variety Of fish, such prices y
being subject to change the first y
day OF each month. y
Appoint an agent 10 inspect y
y and keep in touch with all y
y branches of the fish business and y
fix the selling prices each month. y
Require all fishing boats to y
y make a full disclosure Of their y
y contents each day before the y
market opens, as we'll as amount y
and variety OF catch upon arrival. y
y Take over the two wholesale y
y fish markets at Hilo and put y
them in charge Of the agent. I'm y
pose licenses on fishing boats or y
y fish sold through markets to pay y
y expenses. Register all fishing y
y boats y
y Give agent authority to make y
y them by the levy OF small fixed =
y penalties. y
%<<<~ y \ y y y y = =
These, in effect, are the recommen-
dations of Delbert E. MetZger, district
magistrate of South Hilo, to the ter
ritorial food commission for regulat-
ing the present price of edible fish in
the Hilo market. The recommends
lions are the aftermath Of an investl-
cation conducted in Hilo recently by
F. Z. Blake of tne fish committee Of
the commission On reports that edible
fish were being given away or sold
to plantations for fertilizer The pres
ent high price of fish in the Crescent
City was also investigated. Mr.. Metz
ger assisted Mr.. Blake in the probe.
Mr.. MetZger's recommendations will
be discussed at meeting of the fish
committee at 2 O'Clock tomorrow aft
ernoon. The recommendations apply
only to Hilo, and whether they may
also be applied to Honolulu may form
another topic for discussion.
One point brought out in Mr.. Metz
gers report is that the fish whole.
salers in Hilo not only have the fish.
ermen at their mercy, but the general
public as well. In part, his letter to
the commission, containing the recon-
mendations, is as follows:
THE fish business here has, like
Topsy, just grown up. 1t has devei-
oped largely through the Japanese en-
gagged in 1t as vendors, these vendors
being a class of merchants that are
ignorant of business efficiency prin-
ciples, and are, perhaps, for the mos:
part INSCRIPTIONS. The business has
had no restrictions or regulations
thrown around it, other than the minor
regulations imposed by officers Of the
board of health, and which were very
narrow.
Some Make Good Thing
"A few shrewd Japanese have like.
ly made a good thing out of the bust
ness, but this seems to be done
through furnishing supplies and fl,
nancing the fishermen. No doubt the
more skiIlful and shrewd vendors
have made very good money from
their profits and are continuing to do
so.
THE auctioneering Of fish in small
lots to the retailers may seem to many
to be a sound and logical way to dis
tribute it with equity to all concerned.
From personal observation l am con-
WINGED that there is very little If any
real competition between these buy.
ers, and doubt if there is much com.
petition between them as retailers.
'1t appears that they have the fish.
ermen absolutely at their mercy-the
public as we'll, in way; but Of course,
in either case, they dare not kill the
goose that lays the golden egg, so
they regulate their profits by what
ever they think the traffic will bear.
ut seems to me that a plan might
be worked out that at once would tend
to lower the prices to consumers, or
at least make it certain that the price
was fair. l would require
some preliminary investigation to de
termine what the fisherman is entitled
to, based on usual conditions, also the
cost of vending.
"Once these are determined it
would seem proper to fix by regula-
ton both the maximum and minimum
wholesale price and a maximum re-
tail price for each general variety of
fish, both fresh and iced; such prices
being subject to change on the first
day of each month.
Appoint an agent, with clerk.
whose duty it should be to inspect and
keep in touch with all branches Of the
business, and fix the selling price
each month.
Require all fish boats arriving to
make a full disclosure to the agent !
each day before the market opens, or
upon arrival if after the
hour of closing. Of the amount and
variety of its catch. This to be forth
with posted.
Take over from the owners, at an
agreed price, the two wholesale mar
kets and put them in charge of the
agent. Impose a license or commits !
sion either on the fishing boats or on |
the fish sold through the markets, |
sufficient to pay rents, upkeep and |
agency cost.
All sales to be made by owner or |
his agent to highest bidder, within |
The prescribed limits. and for cash, |
tie bids to be determined by lot.
Gall boats in the fishing trade to be
registered, with proper data, with the |
agent. and required to report to him
The time of departure and arrival in
port.
Agents to have authority to make