MUNICIPAL MARKETS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9308, 7 August 1908, Page 3

MUNICIPAL MARKETS.

SUCCESSFUL AUSTRALIAN * VENTURES. In. response to a request by the Christchurch City Council for information relating to municipal markets, (several of the Australian city corporations have forwarded particulars regarding markets under their control. In every case where a balance-sheet has been submitted, a profit is shown, and in. no case is there a deficiency. The following is a summary of the information tendered : — The Sydney Municipal Council established a fish market at Woolloomooloo in 1872. Tho market was rebuilt partially in 1888, and in 1893 the remainder was rebuilt. The present building contains two cooling chambers, for fish and meat. Slate troughs are provided for washing fish, and marble tables for purposes of displaying for sale. The total cost of the market was £17,000, and the average annual receipts for the past seven years have amounted to £3363 0s M, while the expenditure avoraged £3024 9s 3d. Two markets are maintained for the sale of fruit and vegetables. The QJd Belmore market was established in 1869, the average annual receipts of which during the past seven years have amounted to £3958 0s lid, q,nd the average expenditure to £1873 8s 7d. The New Belmore market, opened in 1803, has a floor area of 41,712 square feet, and 1 cost £30,097. The average annual receipts during the past seven years have amounted to £6109 3s 2d, and the average expenditure to £2546 11s 6d. The city of Ballarat controls cattle and produce markets, at which the business is purely wholesale, and is transacted through agents, who pay a toll on all produce or cattle placed in the market. The following extracts from the toll table will give an idea of the charges : — Horses, Is per head ; cattle, 6d ; pigs, 2d ; sheep, Id ; hay and grain under one ton, Is; up to 30cwt, Is 6d, over, 2s; miscellaneous produce, ls^per load. >. The Brisbane City Council controls a market in which no retail business is done in the ordinary sense of the word, though small lots are frequently purchased by hotel and boarding-house-keepers and private householders. The Council controls the principal market dealing with farm, orchard and garden produce. There is also a fish market outside the city controlled by the Metropolitan Fish Market Board, which represents the various local bodies of the city and suburbs. The Council's produce market is divided into forty-six sections, each 40ft by 20ft. 'ho sections are let by the Council on weekly tenancies to produce dealers,, at rentals ranging from 10s to 12s per week. There are daily auction sales, but many private sales are also made. The market is described as " a financial success, as well as a great public convenience." The Brisbane Metropolitan Fish Market Board, in forwarding information regarding the market which it controls, stated that the market has paid its way without any assistance from the Government or local authorities. . The city of Bendigo established produce and cattle markets many years, ago. No auctioneers carry on sales at the produce markets, and there is no provision for cool storage. The population served by the market is 80,000. The wholesale portion of the market has been leased this year for £520, which is said to be 'a low price, in view of an approaching bad season. For the past three years the leases have realised £728 per annum. The total cost of the building was £6000, the land being granted by the Government. In 1906 the receipts from the market amounted to £1238 5s and the Expenditure to £82 7s Id. while in 1907 the receipts were £1281 11s and the expenditure £107 7s 6d. The Council also controls a cattle market, ; the buildings for which cost £5000.' The land (34 acres) was granted by the Government. Sales are conducted twice weekly by auctioneers, who charge a commission of 5 per cent on sales. The receipts from this market in 1906 amounted to £1709 0s 7d and the expenditure to £402 18s 6d. while in 1907 tho receipts wore £2104 13s 6d and the expenditure £672 0s 2d. The city of Adelaide established a large general market in 1870, and extended it in 1889. The area occupied is 4 acres, and the accommodation consists of 252 sections, which are let at Is per night. Corner and end sections are charged at higher rates and are let from year to year. A cattl« market is held once a week. There is no storage accommodation. The market deals with mefit, dairy produce, fish, game and poultry, cake and con-, fectionery, fruit, vegetables and flowers, miscellaneous, fancy goods, music and ice-cream. .There are forty-seven shops in the market, nineteen of which have been recently built on building leases lot by the corporation. A fish market and' cold storage depot was built by the corporation, and is held undpr a fourteen yeans* lease, granted in 1900. In this market auction sales aro conducted every morning. All fish aro inspected' by an inspector of fisheries. The cost of the market, land and buildings up to 1903 was £20,661, but the valuations for 1906 were: — Market: Real estate £35,500, leaseholds £9000. In 1907 the receipts from l^nts and dues amounted to £3146. and tho expenditure to £1225. The City Council has certain rights over the Adelaide Fruit and Produce Exchange, including a right of purchase without allowance for goodwill after eighteen years from the completion of the buildings. The city also controls a sheep, calf, pig and poultry market, occupying four acres, at which sales are held once a, week, and a cattle market, occupying three acres,, at which sales are held twice weekly. The capital expended to date on these markets amounts to £30,000. In 1907 the receipts from the two markets amounted to £3067, and the expenditure to £1210. There is also a hide and skin market, established in connection with tho city's slaughterhouse, and rented from the corporation by three firms of auctioneers, who hold regular 6ales. The City of Perth established markets twelve years ago, but owing to unsatisfactory financial results they were transferred to tho Government after three years. They are now vested in the Department of Agriculture, and the Department's manager reports that they now pay working expenses with a fair margin of profit. The markets deal with the bulk of the wholesale meat supply for Perth, also fish and a large quantity of poultry. It was found that it did not pay to let stalls to small dealers. Cold stores are provided for meat, fish, poultry, fruit and other perishable goods. The Auckland City Council states that its market is not a municipal market in tho strict sense of the word, tho selling of commodities, and general control, not being in the hands of the civic authorities. The market is leased to a syndicate ; of auctioneers which conducts and arranges the selling of various classes of goods to its own satisfaction, paying rent to the corporation for the use of the premises.