To the Editor of the Dear Six,—A small paragraph appeared in the report of the Municipal Council's meeting of the 5th October, as follows Tron Market.—Plans have been prepared and estimates sent for from England, for a Market, should the Ratepayers at their next Meeting approve of constructing building of the kind on the Council's vacant land in the Honan road."
No notice appears to have been taken of the matter by the public in general, and certainly if the folly of any scheme would insure its being rejected, no notice would be necessary. Such, however, is, unfortunately, not always the case in Shanghai and as I'hear plans and specifications are now on their way out, for the perfecting of the scheme, I think it about time, at any rate, to endeavour to point out some of the objections tu the plan.
I would suggest that no market is required; that " Smith's" is quite sufficient and well situated for the purpose, and that if the Municipalities are determined to endeavour to try and upset the present system, they had better try their success with Smith's Market, a space of ground already prepared for the purpose, without going to the expense of buying new buildings, and appropriating valuable ground for an idea, That "markets make themselves" is a that (after the failure of nearly every known attempt to change them) needs no argument; you cannot force sellers of market-stuff into any one corner, unless you can clearly make it to their advantage, As soon as a strict surveillance of the Police is removed, the seller finds his way back to the old' haunt, where, having a rebut he easily disposes of his produce, and' probably does better than his brother, who rents a stall in the "expensive foreign buildin laily, the market would be like Miss Burdett Courts' handsome one in London, and probably prove avery white elephant."
That a market is a nuisance, trovertible, and that such thing could he permitted in the centre of avy town, could only point to the the towns-people.
Why should we have there?
The present aystem of sewers is dificult enough to keep moderately sweet, without the addi lage to ebb and flow up and down the length of the Honan and Foochow roads. But when one begins to estimate the amount of garbage that has to lie sweltering in the market during day, or has to be carried past through the hot atmosphere of 9.30 am., one would naturally suppose that the idea of this mass of decomposing matter would suggest visions of cholera and dysentery, sufficient to deter the most (me believer in the scheme from endeavouring to carry it through.
'The noise and obstruction to the general traffic are minor disadvantages, after the all-important' object of health," but even these des considerate dif a market decidedly undesirable, quer; will better matters only touched on public grounds for objecting to the plan. How far i would be just to property owners in th neighbourhood, is a point that is sure to receive the Landrenters' consideration, I remain, dear Sir, Yours faithfully, Crmizex.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.