FABIAN TRACT, No. ~canba£ of ~onbon's ~t1ar For market accommodation the greatest city in the world has to depend on two unrepre~eutative and sectional public authorities, two philanthropists, and two private monopolists, feebly supplemented by a few insignificant so-callf'd " ~treet markets." The City Corporation provides and controls eight markets, throughwhich passes practically the whole meat and poultry supply, and nearly all the fish. The " Trustees of the Borough Market," appointed by the Vestry of St. Saviour, Southwark, obtain a largeincome from London's main putato market. The Baroness Burdett-Coutts and Mr. Samuel Plimsoll have provided markets at Bethnal Green and Walworth respectively. But the Duke of Bedford is still allowed to monopolise the market tolls on London's chief vegetable, fruit and flower market at Covent Garden (established r66r), whilst Sir Julian Goldsmid, M.P. (with the Scott family), is the " proprietor" of Spitalfields Market (established r68z). Both these proprietors enjoy legal power to prevent any other market being established w1thin seven miles if it diminishes their profits; and both derive their "rights" from charters of King Charles II. The London Riverside Fish Company (Limited) has an abortive attempt at a fish market at Sha~ll; and the Great Northern Railway Company runs a potato "depot" at King'sCross. The Whitechapel and Cumberland (Osnaburgh Street) Hay Markets are dwindling remnants; Oxford Market has become a block of middle-class flats; whilst Newport Market and Clare Market are little more than squalid historical relics. For decent market accommodation we must go to Leeds or Bradford or to the Paris" Halles." Nevertheless, near! y four millions sterling has probably been already expended in attempting to supply London with markets; and at least £275,ooo is annually levied for market tolls, dues, rents, stallages, fees, &c., upon London's food supply. The cost of carrying on the markets is much less than half that amount; and the balance yields about four per cent. on the total capitd outlay. The Corporation of the City is the largest owner of London's market property, levying an annual market revenue ofabout£217,oao against an expenditure of some £gs,ooo and a payment of £g6,ooofor interest on market debt. The parish of St. Saviour, Southwark, absorbs a net annual income of over £7,000 from the BoroughMarket, which is virtually a subsidy levied on London's potatosupply in aid of the local rates, and so of the local landlords. Out of the total, moreover, the Duke of Bedford draws at least £rs,ooo a year from Covent Garden; and Sir Julian Goldsmid, M.P., a clear £s,ooo a year net rental from his monopoly of the right to hold a market in Spital Square. This is an utterly unjustifiable tax on the food of the people. Do. 150,400 Do, 448,250 Do. 351,500 ---- City Markets... £ 3,378,992 Parochial Trus-8,000 tees (St. Sa- viour's, South- wark) 2,806 10,817 30,544 ----94,884 4,171 99,055 3,55 9,40 2 5 7,803 96,22 ... 96,22 ~ 10,116 ... 5,500 ... 2,000 ... ? ... ? ... -----116,671 96,224 • As eshmated by the Duke's Agent, excludmg the value of the Land. t As estimated by the Lessee, including the increase derived from enlargement, &c. Do. 150,400 Do, 448,250 Do. 351,500 ---- City Markets... £ 3,378,992 Parochial Trus-8,000 tees (St. Sa- viour's, South- wark) 2,806 10,817 30,544 ----94,884 4,171 99,055 3,55 9,40 2 5 7,803 96,22 ... 96,22 ~ 10,116 ... 5,500 ... 2,000 ... ? ... ? ... -----116,671 96,224 • As eshmated by the Duke's Agent, excludmg the value of the Land. t As estimated by the Lessee, including the increase derived from enlargement, &c. London Central Meat, &c. (Opened H.l75) London Central Fish, &c. (Opened 1886) Farringdon ... ... .. . Smithfield Hay ... ... Metropolitan Cattle (Islington) ... ... ... ... Leadenhall ... ... ... Billingsgate ... ... ... Foreign Cattle (Deptford) (Opened 186~) Total, Borough ... ... ... ... Total, Covent Garden (1661) ... Spitalfi~lds (1682) .. ... Shadwell Fish (Opened1885) Columbia ... ... ... ... South London ... ... ... J • 3,386,992 Public Markets£ 227,00()ll Sir Julian Gold- Duke of Bedford ? smid, M.P., & the Scott family: leased to Mr. Rbt. Horner at £5,000 a year. London River 87,220 side Fish Market Company, Limited Baroness Bur ? dett-Coutts Samuel Plimsoll ? £ 3,701,212 = 82,952 6,006 2,099 195 32,472 7,768 27,473 58,801 217,766 11,438 229,204 25,300 18,000t 2,000 ? ? 274,504 City Corporation Do. Do. Do. Do. £ 1,38!,000 390,000 150,000 ... 50!,842 = 23,848 3,905 1,302 64 21,598 £ 45,283 13,339 .. ... 16,842 These monopoly rights are derived, not from any express charter or enactment, but by an old inference of the common law. What CharlP.s I I. gr~ve to the Duke of BPdford's ancestor and Sir Julian Goldsmid's predecessor was merely the permission to hold a market: it is the lawyers who invented the doctrine that such a permissio:1 implies the prohibition of competing markets within about six miles and two-thirds (see the latest case, Great Eastern Railway versus Horner, in which the proposed Shoreditch Market was stopped by the owners and lessee of Spitalfields Market). Now, whatever our respect for "private property," no man can possess a vested interest in the contwuance of a bad law ; and no farthing of compensation must be paid for the extinction of this market monopoly. PARTICULARS oF LoNDoN's MARKETS. (See evidence in First Reprrt of Royal Commission on Market Rights and Tolls, Vol. II., c.-5550-1. Price 3/4.) Annu~ll Estimated ExpenditnrP. Capital Out- Annual Owner. Market. lay (includ-Receipts. On ln'st.on ing Land). Markets. Debt. What London needs is the creation of a central "market authority," charged with the erection, supervision and control of suitable markets wherever needed. The County Council appears to be the authority best suited for this work. The sectional jealousies and private interests which hinder the growth of local fish markets, stop the enlargement of the Borough Market, cramp Covent Garden, and obstruct the creation of new East End markets, must be merged in one broad, central control. No tax on London's food supply should be permitted- market dues should be levya ble only by the public market authorities, and be limited strictly to the amount necessary for market expenses. Concentration in wholesale markets needs to be supplemented by local distribution of retail markets. The huge metropolis needs not only good central, but also abundant local, distributing agencies. Insist on the County Council being made the Markets Authority for the whole metropolis, with power to take over all existing markets on payment of the bare value of the land and buildings, and authorised to establish new markets where· ever needed.