10

EL—6

Peter Haglund (fisherman, Lyttelton): Have been here since 1879. I use set-nets for flounders of sm. to sJin. I consider s|in. the best size, both for the public and the fishermen, as I get a better price for the fish. The yellow-belly of lOin. will be caught in the sin. mesh, Most of the flounders that come to Christchurch in the winter-time come from port. The Port flounders are far better than those from the lake, and fetch much higher prices. We get yellowbellies as large as 18in. There is no supervision of the fisheries in port. No one ever inspects our nets or fish. I have never been visited by any one since 1888. It would be better for every one if an inspection was made. I have known of fish coming from Wellington not fit for food when landed, but there was no one to take any notice of it. I have seen yellow-bellies of sin. with spawn. The estimate of £7 10s. per week per boat is very excessive. If I could make £1 10s. per week all the year round I should be very well satisfied. Many do not average 15s. a week all the year round. Flounders will live for a week after being caught if looked after.

Examination of Demetri's (Auctioneer at Christchurch for Fishermen's Union) Books.

These are the gross sales. From this must be deducted the carriage, and commission 10 per cent, del credere. The carriage is now £4 per week. The carrier has to bring all fish to the market every day by 730 a.m. up to 50cwt. This was the consignment of eighteen boats to Christchurch only. Probably there are supplied to the fish-hawkers an average of twenty casks per week outside of this all the year round. Result from Books, Christchurch Supply. Total number of cases of fish from 2nd January, 1892, to 3rd . 5,785 March, 1893 & s. d. . Total gross receipts ... ... ... ... ... 2,875 14 4 Average per case ... ... ... ... ... 099 Average earnings per week per man (eighteen boats, two men) ... 142 Subject to commission, 10 per cent., and carriage. Approximate Cost of Paper— Preparation, not given; printing (1,375 copies), £6 15s.

By Authority: Samuel Costall, Government Printer for the time being, Wellington.—lS93. Price 6d."\

Period. Cases sold. Price received. Period. Cases sold. Price received. .892— Jan. 2 to Jan. 8 9 to „ 15 „ 16 to „ 22 23 to „ 29 „ 30 to Feb. 5 Feb. 6 to „ 12 „ 13 to „ 19 „ 20 to „ 26 „ - 27 to Mar. 4 Mar. 5 to „ 11 12 to „ 18 „ 19 to „ 25 26 to April 1 April 2 to „ 8 9 to „ 14 „ 16 to „ 22 „ 23 to „ 29 30 to May 1 May 7 to „ 13 14 to „ 20 „ 21 to „ 27 28 to June 3 June 4 to „ 10 „ 11 to „ 17 „ 18 to „ 24 „ 25 to July 1 July 2 to „ 8 9 to „ 15 16 to „ 22 23 to „ 29 30 to Aug. 5 Aug. 6 to „ 12 93 146 153 139 154 126 83 136 124 115 53 70 67 70 60 46 47 72 54 155 73 62 36 27 75 71 40 52 46 38 115 23 £ s. a. 50 2 6 65 14 0 72 11 6 56 5 0 53 5 6 56 13 0 50 12 0 66 0 6 57 3 0 58 6 0 35 16 9 49 2 6 47 9 6 41 6 0 40 0 0 37 12 0 36 19 0 37 14 3 28 9 0 34 3 6 18 3 0 18 17 0 16 5 9 13 19 8 26 18 3 24 14 9 18 5 0 23 13 6 19 14 1 14 2 6 41 1 4 16 5 6 1892— Aug. 13 to Aug. 19 20 to „ 26 .. „ 27 to Sept. 2 Sept. 3 to „ 9 .. „ 10 to „ 16 .. „ 17 to , 23 .. „ 24 to „ 30 Oct. 1 to Oct. 7 .. 8 to „ 14 .. „ 15 to „ 21 .. „ 22 to „ 28 29 to Nov. 4 .. Nov. 5 to „ 11 „ 12 to „ 18 .. „ 19 to „ 25 .. „ 28 to Deo. 2 .. Deo. 3 to „ 9 .. „ 10 to „ 16 .. „ 17 to „ 23 .. „ 24 to „ 30 .. „ 31 to Jan. 6,1893 59 47 76 68 70 92 75 95 86 114 154 147 102 102 134 148 126 115 163 63 60 s, s. a. 41 19 6 32 10 6 52 17 6 45 13 3 49 8 0 58 16 9 55 15 6 63 12 6 46 1 0 74 16 0 81 12 3 78 14 6 65 14 0 65 4 0 57 0 9 70 19 6 65 7 6 58 0 0 68 0 9 35 3 0 34 9 6 1893— Jan. 7 to „ 13 .. „ 14 to „ 20 .. „ 20 to „ 27 .. „ 28 to Feb. 3 .. Feb. 4 to „ 10 .. „ 11 to „ 17 .. „ 18 to „ 24 25 to Mar. 3 .. 172 137 115 211 148 69 92 122 53 9 0 60 2 0 49 9 6 62 7 0 61 3 0 34 13 6 46 15 0 67 13 9