Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-08-07
WOULD 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-
ClaI Agents

Fix the maximum and mini =
mum wholesale price and max. =
y imum retail price for each gen =
eral variety Of fish, such prices =
being subject to change the first =
y day OF each month. =
Appoint an agent to inspect y
and keep in touch with all =
y branches Of the fish business and y
fix the selling prices each month. =
Require all fishing boats to y
y make a full disclosure OF their =
= contents each day before the =
y market opens. as we'll as amount y
y and variety OF catch upon arrival. y
Take over the two wholesale y
y fish markets at Hilo and put y
them in charge Of the agent. I'm =
pose licenses on fishing boats or y
fish sod through markets to pay y
expenses. Register all fishing y
y boats. y
y Give agent authority to make y
y necessary rules and enforce y
y them by the levy Of small fixed y
y penalties.
y y y ~ y y y y y = = 4 y y
These, in effect, are the recommen-
dations of DeIbert E. Metzger, district
magistrate Of South Hilo, to the ter
ritorfal food commission for regulat-
ing the present price Of edible fish in
the Hilo market The recommends
tons are the aftermath Of an investi-
CATION conducted in Hilo recently by
r. z. Blake Of the fish committee Of
the commission on reports that edible
fish we're being given away or sold
to plantations for fertilizer. The pres
emit high price Of fish in the Crescent
City was also investigated. Mr.. Metz
ger assisted Mr. Blake in the probe.
Mr.. Metzgers recommendations will
be discussed At q meeting Of the fish
committee at . 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 we'll. In part, his letter to
the commission, containing the recon-
mendations, is as follows:
THE fish business here has. like
Topsy, just grown up. It has devel-
oped largely through the japanese en-
gagged in it 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
Iy made a good thing out Of the bust
ness, but this seems to be done
through furnishing supplies and ii.
nancing the fishermen. No doubt the
more skillful and shrewd vendors
have made very good money from
their profits and are continuing to do
50.
The auctioneering Of fish in small
lots to the retailers may seem to many
to be q sound and logical way to dis
tribute It with equity to all concerned.
From personal observation am con.
WINGED that there is very little II any
real competition between these buy
efs, and I doubt II there Is much com.
petition between them as retailers.
1T appears that they have the fish.
ermen absolutely At their mercy-the
public 40 we'll, in way; but Of course,
In either case, they dare not kill the
goose that lays the golden egg, 50
they regulate their profits by what
ever they think the traffic will bear.
1T seems to me that q plan might
be worked out that at once would tend
10 lower the prices to consumers, or
1t least make it certain that the price
was fair. I 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 Q 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 IL 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.
zion 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
lis agent to highest bidder, within
Me prescribed limits. and for cash,
lie bids to be determined by lot.
"AIl boats in the fishing trade to be |
registered, with proper data, with the
agent. and required to report to him
he time Of departure and arrival in
port.
Agents to have authority to make