62 



the mercy of the curers and part with their day's labour for wliat 

 the curers are pleased to give them. Coolies are available and are 

 employed at job rates. 



KOTIMBIKADAPPURAM. 



Most of the fishermen and curers are Arayans (one of the Hindu 

 fisher castes) and are comparatively poor except three curers who 

 are somewhat well-to-do. The remaining curers are assisted by 

 the owner of the site of the yard whose tenants they are. Labour 

 is cheap and plentiful and wages are paid by jobs. There are no 

 permanent coolies employed. 



KURIKUZHI. 



Fishermen and curers are comparatively poor. They depend 

 mainly on the fishing industry alone. Curers are financed by 

 middlemen who charge an interest of 8 annas per Rs. 10 per mensem 

 (i.e., 6o per cent). There are no Mukkuva curers in this yard. 

 Labour is cheap and plentiful and is paid by the job ; no permanent 

 coolies are employed. There are no Hindu ticket-holders in this 

 yard and the curing industry is practically in the hands of 

 Mappillas. 



BIMBALUR. 



Fishermen and curers are comparatively poor except one curer. 

 The poor are financed by local capitalists to whom they pay 24 to 

 36 per cent interest on money advanced. Labour is very cheap 

 and plentiful. Coolies are paid by the job ; there are no permanent 

 coolies on monthly payments. 



COCHIN. 



Fishermen are very poor, and they depend on curers and other 

 capitalists for help. Curers are middlemen dealing in fish on a 

 petty scale. There is a large foreign exporter who also commands a 

 good local trade. He purchases fish very cheap at seasons of heavy 

 catches and gives them to the curers for curing. Curers engage 

 fisherfolk for curing and pay at job rates. Labour is very dear 

 and daily earnings vary between 5 and 8 annas. Being situated 

 near the big towns of Cochin and Ernakulam, and other thickly 

 populated places, there is a great demand for fresh fish and curing 

 is conducted only when fish is very cheap. 



