A FEW WORDS ABOUT FAIRS AND MARKETS.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 765, 13 August 1853, Page 3

A FEW WORDS ABOUT FAIRS AND MARKETS.

To the Editor of the New-Zealander. Sir, — You were so obliging as to find ioo n for a former communication of mine, and I am thereby induced still further to trouble you. It may possibly appear to be presumptuous in a recently arrived settler to find fault or to point out and advocate changes or alterations which he may consider would be advantageous, without taking more time for consideration and inquiry. But it should be recollected that deficiencies or incongruities are much more likely to strike the new-comer than those who “ are to the manner born and if there be really practices in vogue that may be altered with advantage, or new courses that may be entered upon to the benefit of the community, it is the duty and also the interest of the recent immigrant, as well as of the old settler to bring them before the public that their feasibility may be discussed, and if the proposed changes or alterations be found likely to conduce to the furthering of the general good of the colony that they should be adopted. ' Upon agriculture, stock, and sheep-keeping must the progressive prosperity of this colony for some generations, at least principally, depend ; and that this prosperity should progress well, it is necessary that the holders and employers of the soil should give their best attention to the mastery of their business in all its branches. I hope that the classes alluded to will not be displeased with me if I take the liberty of pointing .out one section of their business to which they appear to give but little attention, and consequently appear at least in the eyes of a stranger to be but little acquainted with, and which, if it really be the case and be persisted in without making use of the necessary means to stop the evil, must reduce them to mere tools in the hands of middle men for the conducting of a very essential portion of their business. " I allude to the entire absence of all Markets or Fairs for the sale and purchase of agricultural produce, and the disposing of everything through the medium of auctioneers. 1 am no enemy to public auctions where there is no owner to dispose of the property, or where an immediate clearance of the property is necessary or desirable, and in other necessary cases, but I am sure that it is the interest of every man to learn and know the value of the articles which he has to disposeof. The shopkeeper does not call in the auctioneer to learn from him the value of the grocery, cloth, iron, or other ware that he has to dispose of. And why ? why, because he himself knows what they are worth in the market, and fixes the prices accordingly. Now, what is there to prevent the farmer doing the same 1 He has only to take the proper means to inform himself, and it is done. To such of my brother settlers as were farmers within the British Islands, it is well known that there the periodical markets and fairs afford the opportunity to all the agriculturists of learning the price of every description of their produce to the greatest exactness, and they take full advantage of it, so that when each individual has produce to dispose of he has merely to consider the turn of the day’s market when he would sell. The sooner my brother settlers who have lands in their hands consider and practise this plan also, the better for the informing of their judgments and the furtherance of their own interests. It is not necessary just now to give an account of the establishment and progress of fairs and markets in Britain, it is sufficient to observe that an agricultural people found them highly useful, and that no district was without them. But it may, perhaps to some, appear more to our present purpose when I inform them that in many places new fairs and markets are springing up in Britain and in other places, old ones are again revived which had fallen into desuetude. This would not be, did not the people find these the best means of disposing of what they had to sell, and a'so of purchasing what they might require. At all these markets and fairs the British Farmer attends himself ; he compares the quantity and and weight of the several samples of the different descriptions of grain which he may have an opportunity of seeing, and he compares also the weight or the estimated weight when fat, the form, the disposition to fatten, and the several other points necessary to lie attended to, to ascertain the value of the several kinds ot stock produced. He thus acquires a knowledge of the value of his own property of like nature, or of such as he may want to buy, and consequently depending with confidence on himself, docs his own business, and laughs to scorn the idea of a Mr. Somebody being sent to help him to do what it is his duty and his interest to do himself. At the fairs in the well-farmed districts of England it is a usual thing to see the large farmer selling or purchasing sheep or cattle, his own produce, or for his own use in bargains of from i'lOO to XoUO or even to i-'IOOO each, and the smaller farmers in proportion. At many of these fairs, property changes hands to the amount of £IOO,OOO in a day, and in some to a much greater extent. At the weekly markets similar transactions take place but not to so great an extent. But at these markets as the agriculturists publicly sell their own corn, there can be no close combination of merchants or millers against them. Their corn is usually sold by measure, but attention to their business has so trained their judgment that to err a pound in estimating the weight of a bushel of coni is considered extraordinary. By this comparison of the quality ot the several lots of corn, much advantage arises from the complete cleaning from rubbish and seeds of weeds that every farmer gives to his own. Millers and merchants having clean corn before them in the market will not purchase foul. Surely it is worth some little trouble to learn a man’s own business, and thus to render himself independent of a go-between. There are also other advantages to be derived from attendance at fail’s and markets, aye, and pleasure too. But of these another day. Now, how are these things managed in this Auckland district? When I came first to the colony I had a great wish to learn. Well, I walked up to what I was told was a very fine commodious New Market. I there saw some hit convenient yards, surrounded by scorire walls, and ancle deep in water and sludge. Well, thinks I to myself, how do the people contrive to examine the slock brought to market for sale. I asked a person, a holder of land, and I understood a keeper ot stock. He looked at me—surprised at my stupidity'—and I was given to understand that no handling or examination of cattle was required, and that buyers and sellers together had nothing to do with the business. But that the auctioneer would stand on the gate, and the customers or bidders sit round upon the walls, and so the matter would be settled. After this I attended some auctions; things went on as I was told, and now broke upon my poor slow senses the advantages of knowing nothing of the value of your own property and leaving that matter to a middle man. One person had a lot of young stock to sell, and I asked him what he expected to make of them; he replied that he should like to make a certain sum per head of them, which I observed appeared to bo a very high price even at these high times ; to this he answered that he had mentioned it to the auctioneer, and he had told him that it was merely a matter of time, and that if they were not worth so much now they would be in time. These stock had not got half their growth, and I felt due honour for the oracular ability of the auctioneer. The Pytheau priestess never gave a more or less conclusive answer. The priestess would not have named the time when, and the auctioneer was equally wise. Yet with this description of property, it must, according to the usual course of mundane things, one day happen. This was looked upon as an intelligent and conclusive answer of the auctioneer ?, a very high price was offered for the stock,

but they were bought in to bide their time. It is at these auctions most unusual for the bidders to touch the cattle at all, so as to assist their judgment in estimating their disposition to fatten.— That, too, will, I suppose, happen in time; it may be in six months, or it may be in twice that time. Cows are sold, and I have seen one showing unmistakeable symptoms that she was not in calf at all, declared to be within three or four months of calving, to a customer who wanted such an animal, and neither auctioneer or seller appeared to know any thingto the contrary. The customer appeared to know no better; to lay his hand on her, or touch her to ascertain if she was so near calving never appeared to enter his head. Another was declared to yield alai-ge quantity of milk ; but shewing a dug that a goat might have been ashamed of for its smallness. Horses are sold, but no one appears to care if they be old or young, for no one opens their mouths to see. — All these things may be constantly seen at the auctions, not in the least restricted to one auctioneer’s sales more than another’s, but all tending to show that the people most interested take little care about their own affaire.

The value of the different kinds of grain would he equally unknown to the producers, was it not for the reports in the newspapers from week to week ; yet we have here something of an example of the benefit of a contrary' practice almost always before us—l allude to the Maories, and their pitched market in Mechanic’s Bay. These shrewd people find the profits of mutual communication, by which means each and all are aware of the state of their market, and are enabled to dispose of their kits of maize and potatoes accordingly—takingcare, in all cases, to obtain the full market price. Why are the white tillers of the soil too indolent or too ignorant to follow a like courea \ The nonattention of the sellers to their own interests, is, of course, advantageous to those classes of buy'ers who purchase for consumption, and who, being constantly'in the market know, the value of the product', whether stock or grain, brought forward, and take care to use their own superior knowledge accordingly'. If I am at all correct in my view of the matter —if the large intelligent body of the British farmers find it to he so decidedly to their advantage to have conveniently-situated and frequently' recurring public markets and fairs, —surely it would be good for this colony to follow the? example. The very dispersion of the people, which here necessarily takes place, renders such meetings for business and mutual information, absolutely' more indispensable. 1 have troubled you to considerable length, Sir, on the subject, and may, possibly, if you will allow me, at some future time add a few words more on the subject ; for I do believe that, both in a pecuniary and even an intellectual point of view, the matter requires the consideration of the people generally, A custom of leaving their business tn the hands of other people, will, at length, entirely' incapacitate them fordoing it themselves. I remain, Sir, your’s, respectfully', K. August 5, 1853. P. S., —In my late observations on MoneyOffice Orders communication with Great Britain, I intended to have said two shillings, in the last paragraph of the letter, instead of one shilling. P. S. 2. —Would it nut he to the benefit of those people whose time is worth something if the Post office was opened punctually' at 10 o’clock, instead of 20 or 80 minutes after. They' do things quite differently in our Father Land, even in the smallest market towns, and Auckland is a capital city'.

To the Editor of the Nkw-Zeaiaxder. Sir—l observe in the Southern Cross of this morning a reprint from the Lyttelton Times , of part of the article to which “ A Northern” alludes in last Saturday’s New Zealander. Would you allow me, through you, to ask “ Mctoikos” and the editor of the Cross, why they passed this article so long ? Or, would they have noticed it at all, had not its inconsistencies, &c., &c., been so clearly brought to light, and pointed out by “ A Northern ’’ ? Why did they not reprint that notorious part of the article where the writer volunteers to explain—iiow the Southerners mig|it marshal (heir forces, and come here all prepared and primed, to “outvote” us in the North, and, thereby secure, with little effort, what they have been long struggling for in vain —the removal of the Seat of Government to the South.

All the speeches, writings, and acts, of public men, of a public nature, ought to hear the strictest scrutiny. Suppose now that somedifference existed between two antagonistic nations, instead of two provinces, how would it look for a citizen ora legislator of one, to he detected instructing the inhabitants of the other how they might, if they chose, cross the borders and beat his own countrymen I ! This Northern councillor of ours must take care how he acts the part of counsellor to the Southrons on such a subject in future, lest he he found vainly trying to serve two masters —or be looked upon as a spy in the land. “ Querist,” too, on a reflection of his own conduct for the last seven years, has no reason to complain of shots from “ behind a hedge." Your’s, &c., A Working Man. August 12th, 1853.

To the Editor of the New-Zealander. Sir— Your impression of Saturday last contains a letter signed “ A Northern,” evidently the production of one of our intelligent fellow settlsrs. H viug read tbe long-winded article from the “ Auckland Corres pondeut,”HS it appears in no fewer than four columns of the Lyttelton Times, I find that A Northern” has not at all overcoloured the matter, and for hi-- just exposures of the uncharitable descriptions Mr. Carleton has given of the working classes here, he is, doubtless, entitled lo the thanks of the Operatives and Labourers of 4uckland generally. As the Auckland correspondent of the Lyttelton Tunes has condescended, and put himself to some pains in describing tbe character, conduct, and opinions, the plans a d doings, and the probable designs of onr present and future movement*, of our strength, position, and tactics, be has laid himself fairly open to some artist to draw his own likeness. The picture, it is true, may, when finished, be so near a resemblance to ihe original, that he himself, of all other men, may be the la>t who would wish to see it spread on the “ political” canvass. The admiiably complimentary, nny very fiatteringdescriptions, Mr. Carleton lias given of the various qualifications of Col. Wynyard during his Lieut. Governorship, when contrasted with his own exertions against, him, afterwards, in trying to' prevent him of the seat of Superintendency, in order to procure it for Mr. Brown, as certainly a most curious anomaly, appearing in a gentleman, too, who esteems himself, in the very highest degree, for straightforwardness and con sis tenetl, and clearly illustrates the vagaries ami dixersities of Lis character. It shows to what errom ous conclusions the best of us are apt to come to from first ace qumntances with men ; but—“ fo err is human.” There arbut few in the district of Auckland who are not well acquainted with the sentiments of Mr. Hugh Carleton, in regard to tbe two candidates who xxere in tbe field for tbe Superimendency ; bow bard be laboured on the spot to polish up the one, and cast the otlur into the shade. Yet if we are at liberty to judge of bis sentiments before be bad been caught in the genetal excitement before he became such a energetic party man such a “ Man Frid ,v,” such a man °* wor ' t f° r democratic patron, —a great change must have taken pb.ee ; for bad he remained in the same opinion he was when be penned the first paragraph which appeired in the Lyttelton Times, he mnst himself have concluded that no man could be belter adapted to fill tbe office of Superintendent than Col. Wynyard. This part of the subject I now leave to other and abler pens. Tbe deepest cut of all, so far as my class—the Operatives—and myself are concerned, is in that part where Mr. Carleton has not spated to pour contempt and ridicule on the Operatives’ meetings, When this said gentleman appeared amongst us first—when be ascended tbe gallery, and fixed himself in the most prominent position, and w hen he so conspicuously drew out of his pocket a note book and began scnbbhng away, we poor ignorant simple dupes, xvbo require so much “drilling,” began to congratulate ourselves that such aa august representative of our local press was in out presepce. — We looked upon him as a patton, anti took encouragement. 13y way of act the firs-, wy hoped to sea a lull, true,' and particular account of the meeting in tbe next issue of one of our local papers, to which he is attached; but, alas, in this we were doomed to cruel disappointment. Not a line—no, not so rnuxh as a word

appeared here from the pen of this great luminary. We, however, consoled ourselves, believing that this well disposed 1 Conservative’ gentleman,had merely taken notes as a guide to assist him to arrive at our rea object, and (hat possibly we would see his approval of ul in a lon*,- vinder at a more convenient time. However# in all our surmis-s we were only at sea. Ihe subsequent proceedings of this same gentleman, g* T€ U9 reason to believe that he was, though shyly, one of ourselves m sentiment. We, of course, went under the cognomen of democrats. When, therefore, Mr. Carleton, wo knew that Mr. Brown had come out to represent la democratic element,”—when this new convert,as wa thought, was afterwardsevcr ready, at s moment sca , o accompany nur popular democrats, and others, to « meetings at Onehunga, &c., in favour of the emocra candidate—when he stopped into the vehicle wit r. Makepeace and others, who were seen wendii.gt eir w y to the democratic meetings ; and when he took a very active part in those meetings as a spe; ker. r - porter, and commentator,—we naturally enoug rejoiced at the idea of such a valuable acquisition o cause of democracy. But the bubble has burst, . $ _ arrival of a copy of the Lyttelton Times, wine is su cient to shew us that this gentleman has slipt t TO g our fingers It appear# that he is a true “ asesTa,l.Tfin the south , and only a practical democrat for the t being, or for a specific occasion, in the north. AS 0 who wishes him no ill will, I would beg to inform ito, that this sort of conduct is clearly seen throug y Operatives, and that he has been playing a very si y game. There is nothing like a man nailing his co our# to the mast, ai d sticking to them. Being 8 democratic in one place, and a conservative in the other, i# no • best way to gain the confidence of the people. 1 like “ A Northern,” read many a long article in prm here from his pen, and at times bad a laugh at his expense, when he has so boldly called upon some other (ierson to be as foolish as himself, by writing three ar lour columns in reply. It put me in mind of ibe little harmless tailor, wbo was always giving challenges to the best men in the fairs in Ireland; and such was bis diminuiivene'S, that whoever stript to him would at once lose his character as a man of sense and courage the consequence was, tiiat the little hero, at last, bitterly complained of his becoming “ blue-moulded for want of a. hating,” simply because, for pity’s sake, no one wished to injure him, or to remove the opinion, in which he so much rejoiced, that he was the champion wherever he went.

After telling his Lyttelton frien'is that “ it was of no use resisting a movement of the sort”—meaning, as it would appear, that there was no chance of putting it down, for the best of all reasons, viz., tbs movement being strictly legal, and in accordance with the New Constitution Act granted by the British Governmentthis writer winds up with the following aristocratic, highflying, and haughty sentence ; —“ Let them pat their men, some three or four out of twenty-four, 3°*° the first Provincial Council. If the operative member* can hold their own in it, there is no reason why they should not be elected to the second ; but if they prove inefficient, their own constituency will be out of conceit with them, and the thing will beat an end.” The other part of the paragraph complains of our “ want of discipline”—sneers at the irregularities of our chairman—and adds, that we want drilling ; and also that jealousies hud sprung up amongst us. Judging from the •oregoing, the consummation so devoutly to be wished for, by this writer, is,thatihe thing, ashe calls it,should come to an end. It is likely that he will, in this wish, be disappointed. 'I he general character of the Operative* and labourers of Auckland, and its neighbourhood, has hitherto been good—an assertion this, founded on the best authority. Probably there is no heterogeneous community, of an equal number, more free from crime, as evidenced so many times by slight calendars, by statistical accounts, anil from repeated remarks and compliments from Judge Martin, at various times, when be has come to Court and found not a single criminal case to try. The next time he feels inclined to write another half dozen columns to his friends in the south, it would be a mere act of justice ou his part to tell them that the ignorant Operatives carried their point triumphantly—that we established a principle and a precedent—and also carried out, so far, the object for which the movement was commenced. But the carrying of our candidate need not be the only topic on which be may occupy his pen —he may truly inform them that although the Operatives movement extended, from beginning to end, over a period of nearly three months, yet that the expenses for advertisements of public meetings and the committee’s address, for registration and voting papers, and the oilier incidental expenses, only amounted to the small sum of nine pounds, and the bulk of this sum spent in diffusing information ! Could any public election, e>pecial‘y one so novel in character, be carried for a less sum 1 Not a single glass of ale was given to a voter either by the committee or the candidate. Wo had no open house. Bearing in mind, then, the large sums of money which have been squandered here on former occasions to" obtain a like post of honour, wo think that he may give us credit for having made a very important advance towards breaking down a system of lewdness, drunkenness, and bribery, exhibited at such times—< step desirable to be taken, the better to establish another desirable political fact, namely,— Purify of Election.

The evidence too of the probable failure of the Opeiative’s cause is decidedly against him. The discriminating and intelligent amongst us feel gratified. There is also a spirit of enquiry amongst the operatives. They are in numerous instances continuing to read and think. Does he need proof? I would advise him to go to Messrs Connell and Ridings, Weston, and Hanssrd~and inq ore from them how many hundreds of volume- of books—on aa endless variety of subjects—they have sold to our class during the last two years ? Let him visit the next auction of books, and see for himself how very eagerly, <-ven the poorest amongst us, may ba seen bidding for them. Let him give himself the trouble to ascertain bow many of the operatives and labourers are subscribers and readers of one, or both, of our local newspapers. Let him visit their houses, their workshops, and their other places of conversation and resort —the result of his enquiry will show that thers is a gener d thirst for information—even amongst those he has so quietly sneered at. It’ he will do this, he will at least forbear from such future remarks, as may discourage the Operatives of the South from followiug our example.

Again, what a striking contrast there is betwixt bis conduct and that of Governor t>ir George Grey’s, whose character this writer has so often tried to blacken. The Governor without attending our meetings to make observations for himself—and also without any acquaintance with the origin of our movement, until he saw the commi.tee’s address, as published in the papers, had it naturally enough suggested to his mind that we were not in the habit of reading the G .irimment Gazette —and he took the trouble to furuisb us with the necessary documents of information to guide us. Ha (Mr. Carleton) ought to have considered that the anomalous procedure at the meeting of the operatives, was occasioned by their not having so much leisure time as himself to study the routine of public meetings,for they have not yet discovered the art of living without labour. Surely, however, the men wfio are the real strength—the real prop—the producers of the wealth of the country, are entitled to the respect of that class of men who enjoy ihe fruit of their industry, without themselxes having to earn it by the “ sweat of their blow.'” If Mr. Carleton will only take the trouble to walk towards tbe south end of Queen Street he can there see a building which belongs to the Wot king classes—one which is an ornament to tbe town, and is also a proud standing monument of tbe fidelity, the confidence, the unity, discretion, brotherly love, and perseverance of only a part of the Operatives and labouring classes of Auckland. Now trusting that in future he will be more charitable in bis criticism of tbe motives and character of the Operatives and Labourers, 1 remain. Sir, yours, &c.,

An Operative.