Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-10-22
Territorial Market Management
Editor Star-Bulletin,

City.
Dear Sir: Will you he so kind as to insert the
following letter in your paper under the utie OF
Letters On Timely Topics
have been customer of the Territorial Market
ing Division for the past two years. j felt. ike
many others in Honolulu that l was only perform
ing sort of duty by dealing there In spite of the
fact that am considered patient enough to put up
with most anything am getting Disguised with the
poor service customers get when they deal there.
The service at the meat counter is, and has been
for long time past the poorest of any place IN Town.
and | believe that the only inducement for anyone
to return the second time, is the fact that meats
are sold cheaper. there than anywhere else, or at
least anywhere that / have been able to find: And
when you 60 to the vegetable department, you are
confronted by an unclean appearing lad in knee
pants who does not seem to have the ambition much
less the ability to answer ntegently any questions
about fruits or vegetables any housewife would
want to know
1t seems pity that the Territorial Market cam
not or will not furnish better help to wait on their
customers in better manner even If it necessltates
paying them more money. ,~>
A CUSTOMER.
Honolulu, Oct Is, 1917. ...
The comment of this correspondent deserves spe-
caI attention The observation of this paper is that
it voices community sentiment.
The Territorial Market comes under the head of
''those things that ought to be but amt" A good
number of people in this town are more than favor
ably disposed toward the Territorial Market They
have gone out of their way to patronize this market
because it is looked upon outlet for the pro-
duet of the small farmer. And many people wish
to do what they can to help the socalled "small
man.
But the market lacks management. 1t is prac-
ticaly speaking in about the same position as the
municipal government of Honolulu; it has the same
faulty management, and although great effort may
be put forth to overcome this difficulty, the desired
results are not in evidence.
To be entirely fair one should realize that this
market has many exceptional problems to face. 1t
is not popular with interests whose profits might
possibly be reduced by successful public market.
1t is working in new field 1t may not have the
amount of money necessary to do the work expected
All sorts OF boulders could be discovered in the
pathway of this institution, but everyone of them
is another point in proof of the fact that the mar
ket needs management. No privately controlled
business has ever been built up without struggle;
government controlled business cannot expect an
easier pathway.
The quickest means of killing off a private bush
ness is to put department in charge of a man or
boy who doesn't know his business, and to all APP
pearances has never been schooled in the work to
be done The persons in control are responsible if
the ignorance and poor service continues.
Between the board of agriculture and the food
commission it should be possible to develop line
of action, business management, that will put the
Territorial Market in the list of places where the
people can secure service. That will bring the
trade and the small farmer will get his share