THE CITY MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume 304, Issue 304, 23 December 1926, Page 9

THE CITY MARKETS.

"A HIVE OF INDUSTRY." From the earliest times markets and the business of marketing goods have occupied a dominant place in the life of the community. Long before the cult of literature, art, and even finance, primitive man established a system whereby his goods could be conveyed to the market place and sold to the highest bidder. For many years the marketing of Auckland's fruit and produce was done on the site of the Civic Square. It soon became ; evident that the epace was inadequate and in order to conform with the needs of a growing city Auckland had to have a new market place. As a result the old buildings were demolished in 1917 and the future business of the fruit and produce merchants was transacted in the spacious modern premises on the waterfront. Every visitor to the city should ensure seeing the markets which, on every day of the week, are a veritable hive of industry. The huge quantities of vegetables and countless cases of fruit of every description, the hurrying, bustling buyers, the constant monotones of the auctioneers' voices rising above the babble of Chinese and Hindoos—all give the onlooker a vivid impression of the power and immensity of the market system. The haujing and loading facilities at Auckland's markets are unique. Dozens of wagons and motor trucks may be seen loading and unloading simultaneously. It is considered by merchants who have had exteneive experience in the wholesale fruit and produce business in other countries that the Auckland marketing methods are superior to those in any city in the world. Another feature of the markets that commands attention is the cool storage chambers which guarantee a certain quantity of fruit always being available for distribution. Whenever Island oranges, bananas and other imported lines are landed the public are immediately supplied at the most moderate prices possible through the market auctioneers. Shipping companies and agents and the Railway Department have co-operated and provided special facilities to ensure early deliveries of fruit from country districts. Sales are held daily of every class of fruit and field produce, besides fresh eggs and other dairy produce. At the present time the strawberry sales commence at 9 o'clock each morning. Other early season's fruit now obtainable are hothouse and outdoor grapes and tomatoes, cherries, plums, peaches and apricots. It is worthy of note that the successful "Apple Week" campaign, held some weeks ago, was organised and financed by the city market merchants. At that time the market was glutted with apples and in addition to providing assistance to retailers by clearing their surplus stocks the campaign produced a very beneficial effect on the whole community. Few people fully realise the health-giving properties of fruit and vegetables. Large quantities of both should be consumed by everybody. If such were the case illness and preventive medicine would be unknown.