No. 2 (1921) REMARKS ON CANNING 143 



In the cannery if an excess stock of fish could be put into a 

 cool room, not necessarily or advisably freezing, but, say, 35° F. 

 such excess might readily be kept for a day or two, specially if 

 previously roused up with a little salt and a trifle of boric acid ; 

 this would enable a canner not only to buy sardines heavily when 

 abundant and therefore cheap, but to work them off quietly 

 without that undue haste which is apt to spell bad work from tired 

 workers and consequent losses, and without the heavy expenses of 

 overtime. 



But unfortunately ice is rare and expensive on the coast and a 

 very small machine is expensive to run, especially if not used 

 regularly and up to full power. 



239. Profits. — The question is often asked what profits may be 

 expected. It is impossible to answer so crude a question where 

 data vary in every possible branch of the work, such as locality, 

 manager, supplies of fish, character of season, cost of materials 

 such as tin plate, solder, oils, etc., character of the packing and 

 goods, state of the market, and so forth. But this much is certain 

 from the experience of the Government cannery, that if the cannery 

 is well placed, built and fitted with due regard to economy and yet 

 to efficiency, carefully run by steady and experienced men 

 preferably by the capitalist himself as his own expert manager, 

 even a small cannery, turning out only from 75»000 to 100,000 cans 

 per annum, can make a fair livelihood for its owner and manager 

 especially on an average of years; even the Government experi- 

 mental cannery with its necessarily expensive, because permanently 

 employed, staff, has done this, the net profits for the last 3 years 

 having given a good percentage on capital after deducting all 

 costs of every sort, including all staff and a fair share of the cost 

 of the higher superintendence; during the year 1918-19, which 

 was particularly unfortunate in the class and quality of fish 

 obtainable, and when the price of tin plate, solder, oil, etc., was 

 extremely high, the net profit was above Rs.- 4,000; during the 

 previous year it was higher. 



The fixed capital in plant and pucka buildings exclusive 

 of staff quarters and non-canning plant such as freezer with oil 

 ,engine,and a vacuum dryer— is not quite Rs. 25,000, and this includes 

 an expensive line of solderless can-making machines and many 

 small items of purely experimental plant. The working capital of 

 about Rs. 1,800 per month -is not included, since it is regularly 



