THE FISH SUPPLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15821, 19 January 1915, Page 9

THE FISH SUPPLY.

MUNICIPAL MARKET.

HINTS FOR HOUSEWIVES

To the great majority of Auckland housewives, the recently-established municipal fish market is but a name. Very few have any clear idea where it is, '.et alone on what basis business is conducted, or how prices and quality compare with those of the ordinary retail market

The market, merely a temporary one, is a large corrugated iron shed, situated right on the waterfront, a few yards from the new tepid baths at the foot of Hobson Street. Inside, there is a long room, where the various kinds of fish for sale, smoked and fresh, are arranged neatly on a long, zinc-covered bench. The place is cool and well ventilated, and scrupulously clean. Beyond is another large room, with a concrete floor, with cooling chamber and two smoking chambers, where row upon row of schnapper and mullet slowly dry and turn brown in the s,llloke of a wood fire. Just outside is the wharf, where fishing boats unload. A landing stage is needed here, so that fishermen may reach the-vvhaif with their catch by less primitive means than via the rigging of their boats, and tins matter is under consideration. All day on Friday last, from six o'clock onward, a steady stream of customers •wended its way along the waterfront, undaunted by the nor'-vesterly that raged. 'I he staff was kept working at high pressure by the crowd lining the counter, busy housewives living in the vicinity purchasing their husband's breakfast, children sent out for the family lunch, business men taking home their supperone and all firm believers in " fish for Friday." How the Fish is Sold. Many housekeepers are asking the question, "I s fish sold in small quantities, or is the market only for wholesale buyers? ' The answer to this emphasises the one reason for which the municipal market was started—to bring a plentiful supply of cheap fish within reach of the householder. Fish is sold in any and all quantities. The young housewife may go there and buy for 3d just the right sized schnapper or flounder for breakfast for two ; the boardinghousekeeper may ring up and order a 241b bundle and have it delivered for the small extra cost of 2d, the business man can take a stroll along and carry home a fine smoked schnapper, which will cost him anything according to its weight, with a minimum of 4d a lb; a 7d or 8d fish is a good average size for breakfast for four or five people, and the flavour is excellent. The Busiest Day of the Week. The men behind the counter help the buyer in every way, and "the housewife who prefers her fish all ready for the pan may have it skinned and * filleted—provided her purchase is not made in rush time. Behind the scenes, men are busy scaling, cleaning, and washing the fish, which go forward constantly to replenish the stock outside. Friday "i always the busiest d\v of the week, but from" early morning to late at night everv daypeople come to buy. ' The market is open continually, one man being on duty all night to receive Che fish and attend to the smoking. When Supplies Come in. An interesting scene it is on the waterfront when the fishing boats come in, any time from one o'clock in the morning". The boats come creeping up through the darkness, past the twinkling harbour lights, and draw in to the wharf with their catch. Any time they come, until dawn Hushes the skies and the sleeping city stirs to early life. As early as half-past three and four o'clock, hawkers and dealers are on the wharf, awaiting the boats. A busy time ensues when there is a good supply ; the fish lie in bundles on the clean concrete floor and each man makes his choicethe little Italian proprietor of a fried fish and chips emporium from some obscure locality, the small boy who has travelled across the harbour by the first boat for a bundle to restock the family shop, the dealer from far out in the suburbs who has driven in through the small hours of the morninor. hawkers with their baskets laying in supplies for women too busy to make a trip to the waterfront— and all they want their fish fresh, and get it. Having obtained their day's supply, they clean and scale it at the long benches and hurry off with it in time to provide sleeping Auckland with its breakfast. The retail trade begins about six o'clock. By nine the general public begins to arrive, and from that hour a brisk trade is done. The day's supply, of course, varies according to the catch the fisherman brings in, but if it is seen that supplies are likely to be light a certain portion is reserved for retail trade, so that there is no danger of wholesale dealers being supplied at the expense of the householder. The Fishermen. The men of the sea who keep Auckland supplied with fish know their world of water as the business man knows Queen Street, where to go, when to go, what fish may be found in one spot, what variety in another ; the seasoned fisherman learns from long experience many points beyond the ken of landsmen. The greater part of the supply comes from Auckland waters, although a good many consignments of smoked mullet and schnapper are received from the Kaipara. At present fishing is carried on close to Auckland, anywhere from the Noisies to Tiri, between 20 and 30 miles being an average distance. In summer the fish come close up to the shores, whereas in winter, shallow water being so much colder, they retreat to deep water, and fishermen have to go out 70 or 80 miles, as far as Mercury Island and Cape Colville, sending their catches up by coastal steamers. One of their favourite haunts is a stretch of water facing a strip of land known as the " Green Patch." between Cabbage Bay and Cape Colville. Here, there are mussel beds which make it a great feeding place for fish, and splendid catches come from this popular spot.

Fishermen are supposed to deliver their catch in bundles of regulation weight. 241b, and so expert do they become that they judge within a pound or so the weight of bundle.": which contain from four to fourteen fish. Smaller fish are sold in bundles of 16, without regard to weight. Flounder is sold in bundles of dozens. These bundles, of course, are later broken for the convenience of retail customer?, but are always delivered in this way. Practically no netting is done in Auckland waters, excepting for flounder and mullet; all other fish are hooked.