12
CAIL
buildings thereon, and let by his speculation little short of £1000..!
By Ordinance No 24 of 1847 no person shall establish a market without having a Licence,
the amount of that licence is left to be
233
the Buildings in repair and under certain circumstances, to repair and shield them with Stone or brick.
determined by the Government and
from their
for
the
decision there is no appeal. It is
evident
from this and from
very nearly
very
what is previously stated.
that Government can and do raise a revenue from the sale of provisions, and that instead of aiding to make living here cheap, they do the
Moreover it is to be observed that the Buildings in the Markets do not belong to the Government, and that as the Lease holder is only the proprietor during the time of his lease, he must during that period cover the cost of the Buildings. The amounts therefore laid out may form an additional tax to which
in this way
the gain
derived by the Lease holder and by the renters of the Stalls, may be added; a further Ordinance in 184 compels the proprietors to keep
Were Government to erect a Market-place
for the convenience
of the public, with the view
of making provisions cheap and abundant, they
with reason might claim
to cover all expense
and
a rental sufficient
eventually to defray
the cost of the buildings; the present system
of raising a revenue and interfering with that wholesome competition which reduces and regulates prices is in my opinion impolitic and
objectionable. Besides is it desirable to give the power of interfering
or stopping the supplies, into the hands of few individuals? Were the ground on which the Central Market is built now put up to
Auction - Competition would no
doubt drive it
up to an exorbitant rate, probably equal to what the present Leaseholder now pays to Government, equal to £2000 per acre,
but