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In 1858, the Central, Western, Eastern, Taipingshan, Wanchai, and Sokonpoo Markets were
erected.
To these were added the markets of Saiyingpoon in 1864, and of Shektongsui in 1875-being an increased accommodation of 98 stalls, the re-building of the Central Market in 1895 giving a further increase of 41 stalls, or a total of 139 more than in 1859.
But during this period-from 1859 to 1899-the Eastern and Taipingshan Markets of 68 and 74 stalls respectively, were demolished, thus showing a loss of 3 stalls to the total market accommodation of the City of Victoria during the last forty years: although in that time the population has increased from 49,730 in 1859, to 168,260 in 1899, and the revenue from markets from $26,677,50 to $80,901,38. In a letter to the Board dated December 20th. 1899, I pointed out the necessity of a market for the wholesale and retail dealers in poultry and fresh fish, recommending that a site be retained for this purpose on the Praya Reclamation in front of the present Central Market.
The proposal was adopted and forwarded to the Government,
Hawkers.-Consequent upon, the crowded state of the markets, and the increasel demand, the number of so-called hawkers of vegetables has been largely augmented, especially during the past ten years, so much so that many of the bye-streets of the City are often blocked up completely by them.
These people, who are not hawkers in any sense of the word, simply take up a fixed position. where they are least likely to be interfered with by the Police and remain in the same spot until they have sold off al! their wares, disposing of the refuse therefrom by stuffing it down the nearest drain, and returning next day to repeat the process.
From the decomposition of this vegetable matter gases arise which may become, under certain conditions, highly injurious to public health.
These men never have hawked, and never will hawk, their goods in the accepted term of the word, and in my opinion not one of them should be licensed for this purpose in the City of Victoria.
So long as the present state of things exists, were the staffs of the Director of Public Works and the Medical Officer of Health doubled or trebled they could not deal with the subject effectually or prevent the emanation of foul gases which arise from the sewers all over the City, and which are often put down by many as being due to an inefficient drainage system, when all the time much of it is caused by this decaying vegetable matter which has been thrust down the drain in the manner above described.
I have no hesitation whatever in saying that such refuse in conjunction with ordinary sewage which gets stopped by it on its course to the sea, forms a nidus or breeding ground for all kinds of noxious germs, and may be the cause in a great measure of the frequent cases of typhoid fever which have become so common of late years, the bacillus both of typhoid and plague multiplying rapidly in such media.
Food Stuffs. During the past five years the price of all food has been gradually advancing until at the present time nearly every article consumed by both Europeans and natives shows an increase of at least 100% and in a few instances much more.
The present high price of provisions may be partly due to the high rents which are paid by many stall-holders in the various markets. For instance in the Western Market two stall-holders pay $75. and $17.50 respectively per month for two beef stalls, the dimensions of which are only 6' by 3'. A pork butcher in the same market also pays $70, a month for a stall of similar dimensions.
Many of the shops and stalls in the other markets are rented in a like proportion. Although I believe the cost of erecting the Western Market in the first instance did not exceed $9,437.12, yet during last year, the revenue derived from its stall rents amounted to no less than $23,465.64.
Central Market. Owing to increase of trade additional accommodation is required in the poultry section for killing and plucking fowls, etc. Vide my report to the Board dated September 7th, 1898, and also mentioned in my Annual Report of last year.
There is a large unsatisfied demand for vegetable stalls in this market.
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Western Market. The building is an old insanitary structure, does not at all meet present re- quirements, and is altogether unfitted to be used as a public market.
On pointing this out in my Annual Report for 1890, I recommended that it be re-constructed and extended upon its present site. A Committee of the Board considered the question, and in a report dated May 19th, 1891, they adoptel my recommendation and forwarded it to the Government, but nothing, however, has yet been done.
Saiyingpoon Market--Might be re-built and extended to double its present size with advantage. Wanchai Market.-The same remarks apply in this case.
Shaukiwan Market-Is too small, and as far back as 1889 I recommended that additional stalls
·be added.
Sokonpoo, Shektingsui, Hung Hom, Yaumati and Tai-kok-ts si Markets-Meet all present require-
ments.