MUNICIPAL MARKETS A MATTER OF SITE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 26, 31 January 1908, Page 3

MUNICIPAL MARKETS A MATTER OF SITE.

HIGH PRICE OF LAND. THE COMMITTEE'S .PROPOSAL. As foreshadowed in the Evening Post last evening, tho Markets Committee brought up a report pn tha s>ites proposed for' the erection of municipal markets. Tho committee recommended :- That the offer of Mr. A. , MacBougalL to sell his interest in the lraso of six section's of land at dable-strost to tho council for tha purpose of a market be not entertained. . . 1 Councillor J. Smith said the pric© demandpd for tho land ab,ove referred to ivas altogether too high, and could not be onlertainPfl. ' ' The' council then considered a recommendation— 1 That," the land occupied by ' th© 1 Wellington 'Naval . Volunteers, 1 ' Wol- • Jijigton Rowing Club, ,and the Star * Boating Club, on Jervois-quay, beresumed by the council 1 for the purpose of a market. - I Councillor Smith 6trongly •ecommend&d the ■acquisition of this she, with its convenient^ v.'ater' frontage. ,If the .proposal' carried the tenants of the various buildinps named would, be, given a reasonable period in - which to find ■other quarters. No doubt the Harbour Board would come to the ronnciPs assista~ee in this matter. The site, was one that years, ago had been selected for a fish market. It -was really a most difficult matter to, get a -.suitable Bito by reason of the extremely high price of land. i , Councillor Murdoch G3conded' the adoption of tho report. - MOTION OPPOSED. C6uneiUor Luke opposed it. He said it subordinated all other interests to v those of getting 'a central one for the fish. Ho did not 'thing the * council would be justified 'in •'jr.oing in for* a big expenditure for municipal markets, for people had boen so educated in Wellington that they 'looked to have everything brought to their doors. • He nevertheless Tecognised that" there had been a long-sustai"?d cry raised in Wellington for public markets— ever since he had been here he had" heard it — and he supposed the council would' have .to give the matter a proper trial, thqugh it should be done op a small scale for 8 start, with the intention of extending it if it was found to pay. The site for such a market should be near Courtenaypla«", or in Manners ; strect, •Jbordering on Courtenay-plare. There people could be landed from all quarters of tha city by tatting a one-penny ride on the trams. The committee should 'ba asked fo reconsider its recommendations, and he would move that ihs site suggested was not the bast one for the location of a market, and that the project be referred back to the committee for reconhideratiop and for tha furnishing of a further ' report to the council at some futnr? meeting. Councillor Cohen seconded the amendment. The Jervois-quay site was unsuitable. Ho believed a section in Cable-street was a good oitv and could he obtained at a reasonable price. Why toot utilise the corporation ' 1 • "THIS FARCE." Councillor; Morrah thought the t time had arrived when this, f irce should be ended. Hs 'did not tako. the proposal 6eriously or he would,, sfty more about it. He had" only found one man who held ' that th 6 markets < were wanted, whereas every one else ho met was against ,it.' ,l'f was. time' the committee was- abandoned*, srid the wnole matter dropped onca and for a,ll. > Councillor -Ballinger .said that markets .now -\Vers run by the Ghjnamen — it had been "foundi 1 - that the city could not do- x without them — and that being -so, what was tho use, of ■putting up a public market for convenience of the Chinese? Trie' recommendations of the committee' should be discharged. The Mayor said Councillor Balljnger would, he. believed 1 , Have to. give notice of that motion, ' , ' ' Councillor Luke was opposed to municipal ' markets,- ""and yat these would cheapen fish, .fruit, and vegetables. The site recommended was. the' best sit« possible for a fish market, at a.ny rate. AThere - ever the > council went it would have fo disturb somebody. .He' sug- ■ geettfd - that tho site should .bo taken. Coubcillor Flstcher ; Is the committee .serious?'. - . . Councillor' Hindmarsh: Certainly: and' l hope to see. you ai least 1 support it. ' ' " ■ - ! .-. Councillor Ballinger : Wo" object to the site^ — not to the. principle' of a market. / - , ! Councillor 'Hindmarsh observed that, this -was a 'practical test." of the good faith_ of councillors - who professed at election time t£ their "constituents their faith in municipal markets-. •Councillor. Caraichael said that the Wellington Navab were entitled to retain th->ir site, and the council should consider tho navals' interests. The site was; unsatisfactory. 'too. ' Councillor Fletcher was unfavourably disposed to tho principfe of public mar- * k°ts, but he was doubtful .frhethcr the site would be suitable. . ■ Councillor ,Smith . said that the proposal brought down some time ago, to resume the lands borderiug on' the Royal Oak. Hotel, -would provide a ve*rv suitable site upon which to markets," and -would give ample accommodation for a long time to come. Unfortunately,- though, the cost was likely 1 to be great. The report brought down by tho committee hzd been arrived at after long -'-v-.i deration, and the committee mefi.i.^s present were unanimous on tho report brought down. THE VOTING. _ Councillor Luks's amendment was carried by seven votes- to' six.- Ths aye's were th*. Mayor. 'and Councillors Ballinger, Cohen', Luko. Murdoch, and Shirtcliffe. while thn 'noes w«re Councillors Fletcher. Godber, Hales. Hindmarsh, Morrah. and Smith. Afterwards Councillor ' Mnrdorh explained that he had voted for jne- amendment under a misapprehension, but the -Mayor said it was. too JaLe to have an alteration made. Had Councillor Murdoch's' vote' been recorded .no inBf*a'd of aye, the amendment would h»Ve been iost. ' •