The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-11-02
HCAN Be SOLD
FOR HALF present
PRICE At PROFIT
With Territorial Control All Ex-
cept Aku and Mullet Mould
Retail For Eleven Cents
AKU WOULD SELL FOR
THREE AND QUARTER CENTS
All Would Benefit and Overhead
Expense Of Three Markets
Would Be Eliminated


All edible fish, with the exception
Of mullet and aku, can be retailed over
the counter at eleven cents a pound the
year round with far greater profit
60 the fishermen than they are now
receiving and the price would be one
half Of what II is now, while in some
instances II would be reduced even
more than that. Aku could be sold for
three and one.quarter cents to the con
sumer the year round with guaran.
tee to boat owners Of three cents a
pound for as much Of their fish as the
market needs, any surplus to be return
ed TO the owners with the privilege Of
disposing Of It rs they desire.
Favor Investigation
such is the belief Of men prominent
in the fishing industry, most Of whom
assert that now The Advertiser has
commenced the Investigation of the
high price Of fish, no stone should be
left unturned in exposing the condi-
tons which now exist at the fish
market. However, they say, the prices
given above can not obtain unless a
market is established under territorial
control and all fishermen entering the
harbor are compelled to take their catch
to the market where they win, receive
an established price of ten cents a
pound for all fish such as ulua, kahala,
opakapalSa, mahimahi, kawakawa, We
Ike, ulaula, Hawaiian sardines, hapuu-
pun and uhu and three cents pound
for aku. s
Territorial Market Needed
The following figures given by those
who know the costs of operation are
considered as ultra conservative and
The Advertiser is In position to prove
them at any time:
II a market were established under
the control of the Territory, and such
markets exist in many parts of the
country, ten men, preferably Chinese,
could be hired as clerks for $3.50 day
or a total of $3.50 month. A market
superintendent would receive $3.50 a
month, and rental, depreciation, inter
est and insurance could be estimated
at about $3.50 month, the aggregate
expenses amounting to about 1890 a
month. pr. E....." ". ..'t| 3s1'.a
All Would Beneft '.
1t is estimated that $4,000 pounds of
fish enter the market daily, 5000 pounds
, other than aku and $4,000 pounds of
alin. This would make 100000 pounds
entering the market each month. At a
monthly expense of $3.50 for the pro.
posed territorial market, it would cost
one-ffth Of a cent a pound for over.
head A canvass of the Japanese fish
men in port yesterday afternoon re-
suited in every one Of them, whom it
was possible to see, voicing his approx
al Of the plan. At ten cents a pound
they would derive more for their time
and labor than they do at the present
time, and, as some stated, their families
would benefit by ii when they were un.
able to get out to sea. :..& -,
1t is said that the Pacific Fish Com.
pany leases the Waikiki market and sub
lets to stallmen who, in turn, suitcase
to others. 1t is also said they lease
stalls in the Eva market and sub.
lease to stallmen there who, as in the
case of the Waikiki market, snblease
to whom they wish. This subleasing is
added to the price Of fish and the pub,
lie ultimately pays the bill.
Public Pays Bill
The Pacific Fish Company has seven
employees and its payroll is estimated
at about $500 O month. Yamashiru
manager of the market and the Pacific
Fish Company, his son and Fukumoto
are said to receive the largest salaries.
Again, it is said that each one of the
vast swarm Of Chinese vendors PAYS
ten dollars for his stall, and in some
cases where this stall has been sub
leased several times, twenty OF thirty
dollars would be nearer the amounts
paid, all of which is borne by the public
when they buy fish over the counter.
1t is reported that the Hawaiian
Fisheries leases the makai market from
an Individual and sublets to its stan.
men, the Service Supply Company pay.
ing 800 month for its stand This
company has an Office force Of four
with two men TO care for the aku and
care for bait. q. Uyeda, the manager,
is the highest paid man, the monthly
payroll OF the company being estimated
~ about $500. a1sa.T. '.s1&'
Daily Commission Large g"a@ 4
The Honolulu Fish Company, con.
trolled BY +, G. Winston, Leaf SEES space,
II is said, from the Pacific Fish Com.
pany and employs three men, j. f. Ku.
roda as manager and bookkeeper. re,
ceiying in the neighborhood of $3.50 a
month, and the two floornfen about $50
each. .,
As the situation now stands, the
three fish companies are receiving in
the neighborhood of $l20 a day for
their auctioneeriug commission. This
statement will be supported by the food
inspectors who know the amount of fish
entering the market each day. This
commission is charged for aku as we'll
as the other edible fish.
Were this auctioneering commission
the overhead expenses Of three fish
companies, the exorbitant rents now
paid for stalls, all of which runs up to
thousands of dollars month, elimi.
mated, the public would save the differ.
ence between the present aggregate cost
Of operation an0 the 1880 which would
be required to operate a territorial
market each month. 1t is within the
power of the food commission TO do this
and the Investigation should not he