No. 1 (1922) ADMINISTRATION REPORT, 1920-21 5 



prawns to taint appreciably more quickly than during normal 

 seasons. To add to the difficulties attending cannery operations 

 during 1920-21, the price of tin-plate rose to an extravagant height 

 and as a large purchase had to be effected at this time owing to 

 depletion of our stock, the heavy cost of this plate has proved a 

 serious handicap and one of the serious causes of the small deficit on 

 the year's working. The quality and packing condition, both of this 

 tin-plate and of a consignment of small tins, were thoroughly 

 unsatisfactory and reflect the unsettled conditions of industrial 

 life in England. So serious were the defects in these consignments 

 that unless conditions improve, repeat orders may have to be placed 

 elsewhere ; labour that will not give proper care to the work in 

 hand, cannot expect continued employment ; orders are bound to 

 drift to other countries where labour gives proper value for the 

 wages received. 



From various inquiries made it is evident that the operations of 

 this department in pioneering a canning industry are impressing 

 other authorities with the commercial potentialities of similar work 

 in their territories. The departments dealing with fisheries under 

 the Governments of Travancore and Baroda have both requested 

 advice in regard to establishing experimental canneries, and 

 besides giving all information possible, it has been arranged to 

 supply can bodies and covers for their preliminary operations. 



Sir Frederick A. Nicholson's most useful report on canning 

 practice as applied to fishes has now been issued as Report No. 2 of 

 Volume XIII of our Bulletin. It should prove invaluable as a 

 working hand-book both to our own officers and to all others who 

 contemplate canning enterprises in tropical countries. 



7. Output. — In spite of all disadvantages, the output was an 

 average one, amounting to 67,521 tins of all kinds. This is a 

 satisfactory advance upon the preceding year, when only 59,586 tins 

 were put up. The bulk consisted of mackerel, with sardines occupy- 

 ing the second position. Prawns were less extensively treated 

 owing to small supplies. Of the larger fish, narimin (Lates 

 calcariftr) was the only one obtained and canned in any appreciable 

 quantity. 



8. Sales. — Due to a variety of causes, sales amounted to 35,092 

 tins only, as against 40,729 last year, leaving a comparatively 

 large balance of 82,152 tins on hand at the end of the year. 

 Although disappointing, the fall in sales is not surprising in view 

 of the chaotic state of the market for canned goods during the year 

 under review ; in this connexion it is worthy of note that many 

 canneries in Portugal and the United States have suspended opera- 

 tions owing to the heavy losses sustained during the post-war slump 



