464 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



sell to the assooiation he is compelled to rent a stall in the market, 

 should that be possible, and retail his catch. As the Japanese are the 

 largest part of the fish-eating- population and none of them will patro- 

 nize other than his fellow-countrymen if it is possible to avoid it, the 

 native finds it difiicult, if not impossible, to sell more than a fraction 

 of his catch at his own price, and is compelled eventually to sell what 

 is left to the Japanese at a still lower figure than was offered in the 

 first place, or else have it spoil on his hands. 



The association regulates the prices at which fish are retailed in the 

 markets, and even in times of a glut the low price does not benefit the 

 consumer, although the fishermen receive less. Should there be an 

 oversupply, the surplus is peddled around to the different plantations 

 by Japanese with small carts. 



There are serious inconveniences arising from these conditions other 

 than the opportunity afforded for e'xtorting exorbitant prices from the 

 consumer. For three or four months of 1903 it was almost impossible 

 for the people of Lahaina to buy an}^ fish, because the association sent 

 nearly all over to Sprecklesville, where the}' were sold to the Japanese 

 at that place, presumably because better prices could be had there. 

 This is likely to happen again at almost any time, and the people are 

 thus at the mercy of an irresponsible association of alien dealers. 



WAILUKU, MAUI. 



At the time of the previous investigation there was a small market 

 house here, owned by a private individual. It had onl}^ five stalls and 

 was run principally by natives. Even this poor apology for a market 

 ceased to exist in 1902, when it was transformed into stores, and since 

 then the only means of securing fish has been from the peddlers who 

 go from house to house on certain days in the week, or when there is 

 a supply of fish landed from Molokai, or an extra large catch made at 

 the Kahului fishery, a few miles away. It was not until the middle of 

 1903 that this section had a government inspector of fish, which it 

 sorely needed, and even this boon was withdrawn Januar}' 1, 1904, 

 owing to the low condition of the finances of the Territory. 



HONOLULU, OAHU. 



At the time of the first investigation there was but one fish market 

 in Honolulu — the government market in the square bounded by Allen, 

 Richards, Alakea, and Halekauwila streets. This building was erected 

 in 1890 at a cost, including the value of the land, of $155,000, and is 

 one of the handsomest and most conveniently arranged fish markets 

 in the United States. During 1903 20 Chinese, 2 Japanese, 3 native 

 men, and 3 native women were engaged in selling fishery products, 

 while 1 superintendent (who acted also as fish inspector), 1 market 



