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Aesop's Fables - Tales with Morals . Mother Goose . Mother Goose in Prose
THE DISTRIBUTION OF FISH TO THE PUBLIC.
This brings me to one of the most difficult matters that has to be
dealt with in considering the fish supply of any great city. For you
may have the most extensive deep-sea fisheries, you may have the most
rapid transit of the fish to town, and you may have the most commodious
fish markets; but if you have no proper means of distributing the fish
to the public the whole scheme falls to the ground. At present the
system both in Sydney and in Melbourne is to have the one principal
fish market (there are now two in Sydney, by the way), from which all
supplies for the public are derived. Of course it is perfectly
competent for the latter to obtain their purchases in the early morning
at the time when the sales are conducted; but, on the other hand, the
hour is exceedingly inconvenient, and, as a general rule, the lots are
too large for the private buyer. Hence the distribution of fish depends
almost wholly upon the costermonger or basket-man, who takes his fish
round to the public. The basket-man, or costermonger, or dealer--call
him what you will--is an indispensable personage, and what is more, he
fills a most useful office. It is true that he is given to making
strange outcries, and that he is at times boisterous in speech. Yet,
notwithstanding these things, he is a valuable member of
society, and personally I have a very great respect for him. Indeed, I
am certain that he is the food-bearer to many homes, and people would
otherwise be put to very great straits in obtaining their supplies. Our
friend, however, has usually a long round to travel before he can make
a good living, and perhaps he is unable to cope with the requirements
of his large district.
It is on account of these difficulties, therefore, that I recognise the
value of the French method of distribution, for besides the Halles
Centrales, or principal markets, in Paris, there are in all nearly
sixty local provision markets where it is possible to obtain, under
cover--in all weathers and at any time--whatever is required. It is
most desirable that something of this kind should be adopted in
Australia. At least it is quite certain that every suburb should
possess its own local market. This need not attempt to rival the
central depot, but take rank as a local necessity.
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