Sairey Snodgins Discourses on the Fish Question, etc.

Fair Play, Volume I, Issue 16, 17 February 1894, Page 16

Sairey Snodgins Discourses on the Fish Question, etc.

You will ’ave to egseuse me not ritin' ypu a very long letter this week, Mr. Heditor, as ’aven’t quite got over the effecks of the verdickt in “ the libel case,” Bell v. Fair Play. I didn’t think as anyone could make such a hass of therosols as to take scorius offense at such

a little thing as bein’ told as they was egshilaraled. Well, as I sayed afore, Mr. Hcditor, the vcrdickt asstounded an’ hupsct me, an’ I could do nothink but think an’ tork about it all last week. This led to eonvorshuns with many peeple, all with vareed opinyuns, among wich was a butcher, as had a sweethart, who’s uncle happened to be one of the jurymen in the libel case, an’ he told me (this is strickly confidenshal, Mr. Heditor) as his cousin said as how they, the jury, enquired of the judge what was the lowest damages as would carry costs, so they mite make the damages too little to carry costs, an’ that they was done brown- when they hoerd the judge give the vcrdickt for the planetilT with costs. 'An so was everyone else done biown, at leest everyone as looked at the ease in a unprejerdised spirrit —egseept the local press, the high an’ mitey, oat-spoken, huprite, abone-board, non-toe-kissin’ press, an’ since these infallible liorgans ’ave been justly chasstised, well you must bow your head in meek submishun. But Ido hope. Mr. Heditor, as it won't m ka any difference to my screw. If it docs I shall ’ave t>go to Mr. Hell or Judge liichmond for the lone of .Go as I am in want of a new dress (black) an’ I know as my credit is good for auvtlrnk since I became a member of the s all’ of Bair I’lay.. But enul’f of Bell v. Fair Play. I hopes as he will be fair play ” lienee-fourth an’ forever. Bah ! the names ring in my ear-drums, an’ tingle, tingle, till I become subatracted an’ egsclame in deer Will Shakespoor’s (a frend of mine, Mr. lieditor) own words “ Begone.l get thee to a nun-brewerory.”

An’ now, Mr. Heditor, I must tell you a word or tv o about a visit I had from Mr. Do Brown, hushing of the lady as lionered me with her presence at my “ At Home” last week. His visit was uuegspected, an’ was quite took by sur-prise-like, when Snodgins came home the otlior evonin’ an’ says, •* Sairey, my deer,” he says, “ I ’ave brought Mr. De Brown, as is anxoos to make your acquanotanee,” lie says, “ and then turnin’ to Mr. De Brown,” lie says : “Mr. De Brown, my wife —Sairey, Mr. De Brown.”

“ How d ye do, my deer Mrs. Snodgins ? I am truly delited to make your

acquanetance, speshully since my wife pade her last visit. She is brimmin' over with prase for you,” he says. “I am ekally pleesed to meet you, Mr De Brown,” I says. An’ then we had tea, Mr. De Brown makin' himself very agreeable. After tea Mr. De Brown curned to me, an says, “ I heer, Mrs Snodgins, as you are interested very much in our city, an spesully in the bewtifyin’ of it,” he says. “ Yes, I am,” I says, “as ’ave a eye for thebewtiful,” Isays, “as was ’avin’ a convershun on the same subjeck, with your wife,” I says. “Oh yes, Mrs Snodgins,” he says, “ that is were I got my infermashun,” he says, “ an’ I must say as I agrees with you in most of your ideas,” he says, “ but why do you think it nessesary to ’ave a fish market,” he says ? “Why to take the bisness out of the hands of the few, an’ plase it in the hands of the many,” I says. “ Why are . a mere handful of engaged in this industry, an’ these clieefly forriners—ltalyans, I think, an’ who, I ’ave been told, make it hot an’ hup hill work for a Uropean if he dares to go on there rounds. While all this is a fact,” I says, “ an’ is the present state of things,” I says, “ with a fish market things mite be absolutely different. Of course, the Corporation would bild the market, wich could he part open an’ dart closed for wet wether; the expenses of bildin’ would he pade back- by the stallholders in rent for stalls. Then a fresh fish company should be formed, who would engage a grate many more men than is engaged at present to do the fisliin’. This fish should he brought to the wholesale part of the market ’an sold to the shopkeepers, stall-holders, vendors, etc.”

“ But, my deer lady, there would not be the demand for fish to meet the serply,” says Mr. De Biown.” “ Oh, yes T think there would in a very short time,” I says. “How can peeple eat fish when it is out of reccli by its high price ?” I says. “ But it is not so very egspensive,” he says.

“ I think it very egspensive, as ’ave been used to gettin’ bevtiful Scoth cod at Id. a pownd I says,” “ and so the poor peeple here find as they can’t afford to give 6d. for fish as would only do one person's, meal, when they can get meet enuff to do three persons, an’ its mi beleef as this is the reason Colonians is so fond of meet, wicli is a bad thing for them, when they ’ave too much of it. Introdoocemore fish, an’ I beleeve the moral tone of the colony would be much higher. In the old country the poor peeple do not get enuff meet, hundreds of familys only ’avin’ meet on Sunday, still I don’t think as they is much worse, egseept the men who does a deel of manual labour—these should ’ave meet, hut Colonians generally, ’an the children as well, eat too much meet.” “ An’ you think a fish market would remedy these ills, Mrs. Snodgins ?” “ Yes I do, but if you is afraid of the

egspense of bildin’ the market, form the company, iucreese the supply, lessen the price, an the demand will be there all rite. An b isides it will be a good thing to edercate the peeples taste in this direcshun. It seems to me to be a scornin’ of natur’s bounty for the fish to be a swimmin’ round these coasts waitin’ to be cort, an no one to catch em,” I says. “ There is one thing as I shall try to do while I am in the council, Mrs. Snodgins.” “ What is that ?” I says. “ Introdooce lady members,” he says, “ as we want some henthewsastick, henergetic ladies like you to wake them hup a bit.” “ All in good time, Mr. De Brown,” I says, “ an’ in the meentime if you go an’ do your little best towards these reforms we ’ave conversed about, I shall think our time ’as not been wasted.” Mr. De Brown then took out his watch an seein’ it was gettin’ late bade us Good bye.

Yours, Fish-markety,