THE FISH 31; ARRET AND THE EISH TRADE. 51 



outcome of a single year's labour on the fruitful beaches of Botany Bay. 

 The amount received from the markets last year by the City Council was 

 something over £2,000. 



Such is a slight sketch of our fish supply and its surroundings. Anyone 

 wishing to obtain a glimpse at an animated scene in the quiet hours of the 

 morning, and obtain also, together with some practical information as to the 

 cost of fish, some new and curious impressions of human nature seen by a 

 sidelight, will be gratified by a visit to the fish market in the early dawn of 

 day, and wliea he comes away will meet the busy hawkers in every street 

 rending the air with singular variations of a single cry, and on arriving at 

 his own door will jjrobably find some enterprising individual of the species 

 eudeavouring to palm off black fish ior black bream, of which little trick let 

 all good housewives beware. 



A glance at tlie view given of the interior section of the 

 Eastern Pish Market will show the system of parcelling the 

 fish for sale on the floor of the market, so often complained 

 of and so adversely criticised in the report of the Select 

 Committee of the Legislative Assembly appointed in May, 

 1889> to inquire into the working of the Pisheries Act. 



The chief objection taken to this arrangement is that there 

 is no barrier to separate the public from the fish, which are 

 frequently spat upon and trodden under foot by the crowd of 

 larrikins and other 2:>ersons who, moved either by business, 

 curiosity, or mischief, frequent the market during the early 

 morning sales. 



The grievance, though at times ventilated in the public 

 j^ress, does not so far seem to have attracted the attention of 

 the civic rulers, for the practice still continues. That fish 

 intended for human food should be open to the possibility of 

 such objectionable treatment does in itself seem remarkable, 

 more especially when the evil is so easily capable of remedy. 



In a recently started fish market at E-edfern, abutting on 

 the line of railway, the fish are disposed on raised tables ; this 

 method appears to answer its purpose well : the fish are pre- 

 served from possibility of damage and the buyers have larger 

 facilities for inspecting the lots they are purchasing. Even 

 this system is capable of improvement, and the hope may 

 be indulged that in determining details of the proposed 

 extension to the Eastern Market the matter may have the 

 consideration it certainly deserves. 



