OPEN MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 210, 5 September 1930, Page 6

OPEN MARKETS.

Will a market in Auckland succeed? That depends on two things—first its government, and second, what do you mean by "succeed' . By "succeed" the majority of people mean 'pay." City councils and Parliaments make economic mistakes by asking for direct dividends, as though political and private economy were the same thing, when frequently tney are the exact opposite. By "succeed" I shall mean that it benefits the Auckland public by providing them with commodities at such a price as to save them thousands of pounds per annum—not by underselling shops so imictt as by giving for use what would otherwise be wasted, dumped or destroyed. The duel reason why the old Auckland market and others failed is because they were prostituted and became a row of cheap shops. The lirst essential of all markets is their freedom to all. In Timbuctoo it may be slaves ior sale: m Auckland it may be a big catch or sclinapper. But if there were one hundred stalls and one hundred stalls are hired, then tlierp is no stall to spare and the result is failure. [f every stall is let every day of the year, and the market pays a good dividend, it is ft rank utter failure, "and Auckland market was a failure. Therefore the laws of the market,, must be: (1) Stalls shall be let daily; l|J first come first served; (3) perishable goods first preference; (4) newcomers shall Uβ accepted before an habitual stall holder; (p) stalls may be shared, but not sublet; (0) stall holders having sold out may sublet without increment. I repeat again, a market is principally for second-rate fruit and produce from small farms and smallholders. It in no way interferes with export trade or boxed fruit. The City Council says the time is not opportune; biit have we for many years been down to such a low ebb of financial stringency, bad times and unemployment? Hundreds of small pensioners will be able to provide themselves with cheap food at a small cost. Hundreds of unemployed with small savings will be able to hang on till employment comes. It is a tried proposition in other countries; it is no new scheme, but an old custom revised to .meet the conditions we are up against. RUBY E. WATSON.