MUNICIPAL MARKET.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16137, 14 January 1913, Page 3

MUNICIPAL MARKET.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —After reading the report of the Wellington fish market I looked for a strong leading article upon the need of a municipal market for this city for fish, fruit and vegetables. To my surprise I only found a very small subleader. You must know that these old Tories who have sat round the Council table for a number of years will never give us a public market. They have taken away our rights and have compelled the producer to sacrifice his labour to a ring of parasites who have no respect for the working class. They must have their 200 or 300 per cent profit to be able to pay their way under such a system. The Chief Justice fined the Sugar Company £IOOO through the report of the Cost of Living Commission. If the Trades Council will make a move and look up the evidence which was taken before that Commission they will find that they have good grounds for taking action against the City Council for allowing this system to exist. I would much like to see these old fossils picking peas and growing cabbages, and being compelled to deliver them to the working class for a few months at such prices as shown in the account sales I enclose for your inspection. 'As long as they can buy a _ bag of prime green peas for a shilling and a dozen winter cabbages for sixpence we never.shall get a public market for the workers. Wellington has got a Labour man as Mayor, who. I know to be a white man, and who is going to give ■ the working . class their just rights.’ Our Council prefers to allow tons of fruit and vegetables to be given to the pigs and poultry, for no man can afford to cart them to the city at such prices. Therefore, the l ,working class is compelled to buy under ‘these conditions—peas 3d and 4& a peck to the grower; Is to the consumer. At the day I received my account sale Is per ,bag they were ticketed up in the shop at Is per peck. •—I am, etc., TWENTY-SIX YEARS A STRUGGLER. (Our correspondent takes his account sales from a leading firm of auctioneers,, showing that forty dozen cabbages realised 15s 5d and 11 bags of peas IJs lOd.—Editor, “ Lyttelton Times.”)