MUNICIPAL MARKETS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 109, 24 September 1912, Page 6

MUNICIPAL MARKETS.

A SUCCESS ■IN SYDNEY. PURE FOOD FOR TIIE PEOPLE. An interesting report on the working of Sydney's municipal markets has been received by the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. C. J. Parr) . - The report from the' New South Wales capital was prepared by Mr. G. Breerdonj who is the municipal officer in charge of the markets. "The 'vegetable market," it says, "opens three days in the' week ait'four a.m.,; anil the remaining days -at. six a.m., ha's 'provision for '2&B stalls, which are occupied by the ibona fide grower, who-brings 1 his 6Wn produce to market and fconduets the sale by private treaty; a different Set of growers coming on the early days from those on the other idays. , , f ■ ■ - "The stalls are allotted to individual powers, who , ; occupy them regularly, The charges are on the dues system at Is 6d per cart load, and the minimum amount that must be paid for each stall is 3s. The quantity of vegetables. : deal:t with per! annum, if favorable seasons ensue, it lis estimated total from 16,000 to 20,000 tons. ' '

"The produce market is occupied' almost entirely by agents, who receive the products from, the country and oversea, and who also allotted stands on the same scale of Is 6d per load, with an additional reserving fee of Is per week for the particular stand. Surrounding this market is a series of stores, which are leased to the agents, who do a forwarding . and distributing business to suburban and distant centres. "The fish market is managed on an entirely different plant, and is, ih reality, apart froiii the electric lighting undertaking, the only municipal trading venture of the Council. Fish are consigned direct to the Council from the various fishing centres, and are disposed of by the Council's officers at auction.

"The market is supplied . with salt water, pumped from the harbor, and the ft'ah- are cleansed in commodious troughs, and displayed on marble slabs. There is also a cooling chamber, which is fully availed of by shopkeepers and others in the business. "The effect of the Council's action has undoubtedly worked much good, both for the fisherman find the consumer. The class and condition of the fish put before the public is wonderfully improved, while the agents, in order to compete with the advantageous terms the Council offer the fishermen, have in some miraculous way materially increased their returns to the fishermen.

"The fruit market," the report goes on, "is; the Council's greatest and most modern building, and is replete with every convenience that will tend to the speedy anci careful handling of this delicate food product. The fruit is landed straight into the market from the orchards by means of a special railway siding, and is thus saved at least two, handlings, and provision is made for' its sale by auction, if the consignors so desire, the old system of sale being entirely by private treaty. There is also in connection with this market commodious cool storage, with a total cold-ajr space of 250,000 cubic feet, divided into chambers for the freezing and cooling of fruit, j fish, poultry, farm produce and rabbits. [ A disinfecting chamber for fruit imported and exported is also provided." The report concludes: —"In all' these markets the officers of the Council are charged with the necesary authority for inspection and condemnation, thus ensuring to the riti/.ens a pure food supply."