The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-01-29
BOYCOTT ONFISH
IS THREATENEDbY
NATIVE CONSUMERS
Hawailans Propose Drastic 40
ton TO Force Down Exorbi-
1 ytant Prices Of Dealers
6EWiAGREEMENT rs
OPENLY VIOLATED
Mayor Fern Expects Speedy Re-
suits From New MoveWi
Not Participate officially

z. d. y y =
Rhnbles Of an impending boycott on
nah reached the office Of Mayor Joseph
J. Fern, yesterday, as a means Of bring
ing down the exorbitant prices that are
hsked by dealers in the local market.
The plan has originated among the
Ifawaiiahs Of Honolulu, several Of
whom called upon the mayor yesterday
for the purpose Of discussing the mat.
ter. Esf 4fS't -Es ~ ti,t,
The threat Of boycott became
stronger yesterday when Hawaiian pur.
ehasers Empowered that some, Mt least,
Of the fish vendors were deliberately
violating the price agreement, made
Sunday with the representative of the
federal food administration. 80
Mayor Fern, while actively engaged
In the securing Of information about
the fish situation, will not give his
official endorsement to, the boycott al.
though he believes that some such step
IL inevitable with the multiplication OF
mehtless days and the prevailing price
OF fish, in Honolulu. Z ~ E28t| 1%bE
The Ash boycott, according Ito state.
inenfs made by several of the moving
spirits In the venture, will be patterned
on the various forms Of food boyeotts
that have taken place in cities Of the
mainland, frequently with the full ap-
pfOval of the city authorities, These
agitators say that, in the absence of
Official power in the city to set and
maintain fish prices, some such drastic
action is the only thing that can pro
tect the people from predatory fish
dealers. G..,.-.1 .r. H., L.
win Not Act--oficially
Ht.I do not doubt that such move
would have immediate results" Mayor
Fern said, "but do not intend TO par.
ticipate IN it offieially. Still, am sure
that the agreement that has been made
by the fish dealers relating TO the
price of fish Is no agreement at all
and Ii not binding in any sense of the
word.'' .
III is declared that the threat Of a
fish boycott in Honolulu has much 10
do with the activities of Chinese and
japanese fish men to put stop to
profiteering in the fish markets by
means of agreements. M. Otani of the
Hawaiian Fisheries has instituted "a
campaign among the Chinese fish men
IN come to an agreement of some sort
that win restrain the Oriental / get
rich quick dealers. ~. - 49, IN
Fish Lower Yesterday ~
Mayor Fern and High Sheriff Jar.
rett, in n tour through the fish market
yesterday, said they found that the
price Of fish had dropped considerably
but ii is on the mehtless days that Bx.
brilliant prices are most prevalent
Mullet could be had FOR q while yes
terday morning, by some people, as
low as twenty-five cents per pound
This was partly due to the arrival
from the Kahuku Plantation pond Of
1000 mullet which were sold on a com.
mission basis by the stall men and not
put through the usual auction which IL
said to be responsible for much of the
price imitation.
~ In many cases where purchasers, yes
teFday, attempted to hold Japanese
stab men to the maximum of twenty
five cents-per pound which was con
tanned in the so-ealled agreement, they
were greeted with the~,staggering ex
PLANTATION that in order to obtain this
price 1t is necessary that the fish be
bought "on the hoOf''. The price OF
twenty five cents, the stall men ex
planned, included head, tail and all
and if the edible part of the fish only
were purchased the price would have
to be thirty-fye cents.
This "explanation was made to a
government official who tried TO buy
opakapaka at the store of @. Q. Yee
Hop & Co., the official said last night,
Laulau Is Threatened
The spelling of the Saturday night
"laulau of the Hawaiiam is the most
grievous offense that fish men have
Tarpetrated bv means of prohibiting
Ash prices. From the days of Captain
Cook this Saturday sight fish dinner
has prevailed as an institution of the
Islands The threatening of this custom
il one of the inAaming influences.
One catch of uku, amounting ia
1910 fish, sold ut auction yesterday fol-
$24740, and this fish was placed on
saie at a minimum of eighteen cents
per pound. This provided for n large
profit on the part of. the stall men
0pakapaka sold all, through the day al
thirty five cents, at the, stalls, which
is a violation of the agreement an
nOnneed nv the fish men Sunday