It is to be hoped that the final Report of
the Royal Com- mission on Market Rights and Tolls, published on Wednesday, will not be pigeon-holed. It is true the majority of the re- commendations made are not unanimous, but at the same time, the urgent need for dealing with the question at once, and if possible finally, is made abundantly clear. All the Commissioners agree that the system under which no person is allowed to open a market within a certain distance of an already existing market, ought to be abolished ; but they find. themselves differing widely as regards the right to compensa- tion. As to the important problem, who ought to own the markets if the existing owners are bought up, the Commis- sioners are again in agreement, the Report recommending that the local authorities of each district should be the market proprietors of the future. As to whether the localities should or should not be monopolists, there is, however, another divergence of view. The majority of the Commissioners are in favour of absolute free-trade, but there is a minority who consider that if the Municipalities or Counties take the markets, indiscriminate competition ought not to be allowed. Our own opinion is, that the private markets should be got rid of, with fair compensation for actual losses, the local authorities, however, always obtaining the old. sites, and so the good-will of the existing markets. After this, we should allow free-trade. We permit it in the case of glazed shops—Oxford Street is cue vast market—why, then, should we forbid it for stalls and booths ?
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