per cent or more over and above the market rates- They execute a 

 document giving their boats and dw^elling houses as security and 

 agree to liquidate the debt within six months ; they must pay the 

 amount and interest thereon in a lump sum and no instalment will 

 be received. If the amount is not paid in time they are liable to 

 an enhanced rate of interest as penalty. The fishermen can never 

 get together the amount in a lump sum so that the original amount 

 multiplies itself very quickly and repayment becomes more and 

 more difficult till at last they are dragged into court and their 

 property is sold. Thus an independent fisherman is reduced to the 

 condition of a mere labourer- A co-operative society has recently 

 been organised by the Assistant Director for the benefit of fishermen. 

 There is no hired labour system on monthly wages, but permanent 

 coolies on daily wages of 2 to 5 annas are employed for curing ; 

 temporary coolies are engaged during heavy seasons, and job 

 rates are given for gutting and transporting. 



PARAVANNA. 



Fishermen (Pudu Islams ; no Mukkuvas) are poor, with no 

 capitalists among them. They borrow money from the Mappillas 

 on condition of selling fish at reduced rates. 



Pudu Islam curers do not employ hired labourers ; but Mappilla 

 curers engage coolies and pay l3y job rates during heavy seasons, 

 in addition to permanent men on Rs. 8 to 12 for male and Rs. 3 to 

 6 for boys. 



KUTTAI. 



Fishermen (Pudu Islams) are poor with no capitalists- Some are 

 financed by Mappilla capitalists for sale of fish at 25 per cent 

 less than the prevailing rate. All Mappilla curers generally employ 

 hired labourers. Pudu Islam females gut fish outside the yard 

 and come to the yard for salting at heavy seasons when they are 

 paid by jobs. No rates are fixed for big fish and there are rates 

 for transport. 



PONNANL 



Fishermen are Pudu Islams. They are notorious for their 

 ignorance, dirty habits, and filthy houses ; but they are of strong 

 physique and are hard-working. They are poor with no capitalists 

 among them. They are indebted to Mappilla curers who advance 

 money in return for fish at l-O to 20 per cent below current prices. 

 Only a small number of them own boats and nets. Hired boats are 

 paid either by shares in catches or Rs. 2 to Rs. 4 rent per mensem. 

 Labourers employed in fishing are seldom paid money but only 

 shares in catches. The fishermen of this and neighbouring locali- 

 ties are experts in long line fishing and go out with their long 

 lines south as far as Cochin and north as far as Cannanore. 

 Except a few curers, all largely employ hired labour, paying them 

 at job rates. There are some permanent coolies at Rs. 2 to Rs. 5 per 

 mensem. To compensate for the smallness of their wages they 

 are allowed to cut out small fleshy portions of big fish before 

 being cured. {See curing methods page 26). They are also given 

 presents at Ramzan every year, of cloths worth Rs. 3 to Rs. 6. 



