OPEN MARKETS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20827, 20 March 1931, Page 14

OPEN MARKETS.

Sir,—There is a good deal of truth in the letter by "Pioneer Gardener," particularly that portion in which he advocates an open market for the disposal of farm products. Working men—l am one—should bo a little less concerned about the 10 per cent, cut and pay a little moro attention to the middle mari. Tho working man must get it out of hill head that the producer (the wheat producers excepted) are making the large profits. It is tho man that comes between the producer and tho consumer that scoops the pool. Why should it be so ? There is no justification whatever for it, and it is tjmo that both producer and consumer combined and took some drastic measures to remedy this state of affairs. One of tho best steps that could possibly be taken would be the establishment of on open market similar to those run in • Melbourne. There the markets are open at 4 a.m. and the people take the tram* and go to,market and. deal directly with tho producers.' At eight o'clock a.m. <bo market isj closed and everything is cleared away. Why does produce sell so cheaply half the time in our markets ? Simply because the only time that the markets function is when the working classes aro at work and are unable to attend the sales. By all means let us have the open markets. Open Market.