115 



Rs. 10,000 in two years' time provided the fishing season is good, and 

 with this large amount it will be easy enough to put a stop to the 

 sowcar's greedy transactions in the place. Most of these people 

 will require only short term loans, and it is not unlikely that they 

 will have money on hand to lend to other societies or banks. 



" Fishermen at Quilandi, Tellicherry, and some other places are 

 being persuaded to organize similar societies, and as soon as the 

 successful working of the Tanur society comes to their knowledge it 

 may be presumed that they will also come forward to form societies in 

 their respective villages. 



" A society for the special benefit of the owners of fish-oil and 

 guano factories has also been suggested and nearly a dozen owners of 

 such factories in South Canara have been considering the matter, 

 but owing to the last two fishing seasons being unfavourable nothing 

 practical has come out of the discussions. 



" In a certain fishing village which is situated near the mouth 

 of a large river there is scope for a co-operative fisheries society. 

 The right of fishing in this locality is auctioned by Government and is 

 usually purchased by some one who does not belong to the fishing 

 community. Last year it was purchased by a man who had also the 

 license for selling toddy. This man not only collected so much 

 money from each fisherman who fished in these waters but also made 

 it a condition that they should patronise only his toddy shop, and in 

 order to make it doubly secure he made each fisherman to deposit a 

 sum of Rs. 5 with him. The sum so deposited was more than what 

 he had to pay as the license fee of his toddy shop. Moreover, such 

 farmers of the fishing rights give a lot of trouble to the fishermen and 

 drag them to the courts. It will be a great boon to the fishermen 

 if the right of fishing in this locality is given to them direct on 

 condition that they organise a co-operative society and work on co- 

 operative basis and pay the CTOvernnlent dues in a lump sum collected 

 from each fisherman. This will not only benefit them pecuniarily 

 but also Jree them from all petty worries and litigation. I spoke 

 to some of the men when I visited the village but they could hardly 

 understand what co-operation was, but some non-fishermen who 

 overheard our conversation at once understood it and shook their 

 head. I am sure a few more visits and talks will open their eyes 

 in this matter. I understand that there are several other villages in 

 the south where the conditions are similar and there is good scope 

 for co-operation."' 



-7 , 



34. On the subject of intemperance, which is the curse 

 of the fisherfolk, he makes the following remarks : — 



" Besides the above mentioned tours I have inspected a number 

 of oil and guano factories in Malabar and South Canara and on such 

 occasions I have spoken to fisherfolk on various topics such as co- 

 operation, education, improvement of their surroundings, thrift, and 

 intemperance. In August last on a visit to Malpe, I spoke to several 

 people about temperance and education of their children. Soon after 

 I left the place there was a meeting of the elders of the Mogar caste 

 on the occasion of a temple festival at Mulki and they discussed the 



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