Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-09-11
STEPS TAKEN
TO DISCOURAGE
FOOD IMPORTS
Conference of Honolulu Mer-
chants With Island ProduC-
ers to Study Marketing of
Home Products Called for
Next Week
Y nth a view to decreasing main
w land importations by prevailing
w upon Honolulu retailers to deal

nth a view to decreasing main
w land importations by prevailing
w upon Honolulu retailers to deal
extensively in foodstuffs grown at
home, the territorial food commission
and its agents will meet local mer-
chants and outside island business
men and growers some day during, or
Immediately following, the Civic con-
vention
Aside from discussing importations
and the use Of homegrown foods, the
question of getting produce to the
consumer without the aid of middle
man will be threshed out. Another
problem to be considered is not only
increasing food production on all the
islands, but getting this produce to
consumers in Honolulu through the
territorial marketing division.
We intend to invite all Honolulu
merchants to this conference so that
they may know what foods are being
PRODUCED on the other islands, and
when they will be ready for market,
So that they may regulate their sup
plies here" says J. F. Child, assistant
executive officer of the commission.
The principal idea Of this meeting is
t. lower importations to as great an
extent as rpossibie by seAe6ufagifa tire
sale and use of homegrown foods.
AS a matter of fact, this has been
the policy of the commission at all
times.
Aside from the merchants and mem
bers of the commission. others who
are to attend the meeting are w. D.
Baldwin. unofficial commissioner on
Maui; F. G. Krauss, agent on Maui;
John Walsh, manager Of the Kahului,
Mdui, store, and Harold Rice, extern
sive grower of corn, potatoes and
other products on the Vallery Island.
Some pertinent suggestions as to
the necessity Of getting local mer-
chants interested in other island pro-
duce, and the part the territorial mar
keting division should play in the pro-
ject, are contained in a letter sent
to the commission by Mr. Baldwin. In
part, the letter reads as follows:
John Walsh is writing to you as to
the advisability of getting the mer-
chants together at a meeting in Ho>
nolulu in order to discuss the matter
of better marketing of island produce.
Mr. Krauss, Mr.. Walsh, Mr.. Bald
win and | had a meeting on Saturday
and talked over the marketing prob.
lem, and decided that, if it meets with
the approval Of the food board, we
should meet with the merchants of
Honolulu and get an exchange of
views as to what. if anything, should
be done. this meeting to take place
during or directly after the Civic
convention meetings.
AS things are going now, it Ger
tainly is not satisfactory to us. There
is no proper coordination between the
Honolulu end and the Maui end Of
the game. 1t seems to us that there
should be stationed in Honolulu some
one, perhaps the marketing division,
who should act as the middleman be-
tween the Honolulu merchants and
the county agents, and he would do
this work for a very low commission
or none at all.
This Honolulu agent would be the
buyer for the merchants and the sci,
len for the county agents The pro-
duce would be Sent directly to the
merchants and therefore there would
be no storage"
The theory has been advanced by a
prominent resident of Honolulu that
small farmers and homesteaders un.
doubtedly will not go into food crop
to any great extent unless
they are backed up by some organi.
zAion that can guarantee them a |
market and fair return for their
produce.