FRUIT STALL RENTS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 96, 17 January 1933, Page 7

FRUIT STALL RENTS

Prices at City Auction Down 50 Per Cent. FEWER HINDU BUYERS Instead of the . usual thirty-odd Hindu bidders for the street fruit stalls in Wellington only sixteen put in an appearance at yesterday’s auction sale conducted by Inspector R. Hazledon of the traffic department. This is the last time fruit stalls are to be sold by auction in the city, the City Council having by resolution decided that there shall be no further facilities for the street sales of fruit after March 31 next. At first it was supposed that the small attendance of bidders was caused through the Hindus concerned having hit out in some other avenue of trade, but when questioned the Hindus who were in attendance said that their compatriots did not have the money, having lost on the last quarter’s business. It was further stated that the public did not have the money, and therefore were not spending with the same freedom as heretofore. This state of thiuprs was reflected in the prices realised for the stalls for the quarter to end on April 10. Roughly the prices represented a fall of 50 per cent, on'those realised for the January quarter last wear. A year ago the Bowen Street'stand brought £94 (for 13 weeks) ; yesterday’s price was £34. The Lambton dispatch office site also brought £94 for the first quarter of last year: yesterday it was sold for £33. In three instances—Featherston Street, Thorndon waiting shed, and Emmett Street—there was no bid at all.

The prices for the corresponding quarters were as follow:—

January Quarter. 11132. 1933. Irani terminus, Courtenay Place Tory St. and Courfl s d £ s d 58 0 0 41 10 O teuay Place .... Vivian Street and 57 10 0 52 0 i) Cuba Street .... 37 0 0 18 0 0 Garrett Street .... Ghuznee Street ... 30 0 0 14 0 0 30 0 0 30 10 0 Dixon Street Koyal Hotel, Lamb13 17 (i 13 17 0 ton Quay National Hotel. 31 0 0 14 10 0 Lambton Quay . 46 30 0 11 0 0 Panama Street .. 59 10 0 36 0 6 b’eatberston Street 9 10 0 No bid Bowen Street . ... 94 0 0 34 0 0 Gispatcli Office .. Thorndon waiting 94 0 0 33 0 6 shed No bid Emmett Street ... 11 0 0 No bid Totals £001 17 6 £298 7 0