THE DUNEDIN MARKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2126, 27 November 1868, Page 3

THE DUNEDIN MARKET.

To Hit Editor of the Otago Daily Times. Sir—At tho meeting of the City Council held yesterday, tho report of the Market Committee on the establishment of a market, &c., was brought up, and resulted in the adoption of a recommendation of a previous Committee (Reserves Committee), " That L 250 be voted for a market shod, 80ft by 30ft (for hay and straw), for the Southern . Reserve ; that a weighbridge be forthwith erected on that reserve ; and that a Bum of LSOO be voted for the completion of proper sheds, the removal of the bank of earth, and levelling the ground at the Octagon Market Reserve. Your Committee further recommend the Council to take steps to secure the use of tho hall of the new Post Office Building for tho purpose of an Exchange. Now, with all due submission to the Committee, I beg leave to characterise the issue of their deliberations as childish in the extreme. What the inhabitants ■ demand ia a market, market house, coin exchange, &c., complete in all theirdotails, let the site be where it may ; but to split up the.general business of ithe market in i three different places, as proposed by the | Committee and adopted by the Council, viz. :—Hay and straw Bhed at Southern Reserve, sheds at Octagon Market Reserve, and Exchange in the hall of the Post Office, is really too ludicrous, and must manifestly end in disappointment. Fancy our country friends coming to town, having but limited time to spare, and having to tramp backwards and forwards to three different places to transact their business, perhaps constantly missing the persons they are desirous to «oe, there being no provision made for a general rendezvous where all engaged on market business could meet on market days during market hours. It cannot be protended that an exchange in the new Post Office is to meet that want, for who would be likely to stay in that cheerful place all day 1 Our farmers and others require to be on the spot where the general market is held, but if there is to be no general market, it is quite certain they will spend neither time nor money in journeying to town on fruitless errandß, and therefore the outlay in the manner proposed by the City Council will be so much more money thrown away. There is a strong feeling existing amongst the inhabitants of the city that tho establishment of a well conducted general market would be productive of greiit benefits to tho community at largo. Many articles of general consumption are sold at prices that preclude their purchase by the poorer classes, foremost among the number may be mentioned vegetables and fish, which should be obtainable by all at moderate prices, bat it is well known that they arc not so. A market would remedy all these things ; it would be an incentive to grow more than at present, for tho producer could depend upon a sale for his produce, and many would be consumers who now cannot afford, as a rule, to buy at present prices. I trust the matter may be further ventilated in your columns. As a citizen and ratepayer, I protest against the money of the ratepayers being squandered away, and would advise that public meetings be held in each of the Wards to discuss the question—tho representatives of each ward being called upon and required to attend, and fully explain their reasons for consenting to an expenditure of LIOOO at tho least, without the slightest probability of any tangible benefit arising therefrom.—l am, &c. Citizen and Ratepayer. Dunedin, 2Gth Nov.