CHAPTER XXIX. MARKETS. Under certain conditions urban authorities are empowered to provide markets in their district by the following clause of the Public Health Act 1875: “Where an urban authority are a local board or improvement commissioners, they shall have power, with the consent of the owners and ratepayers of their district, expressed by resolution passed in manner provided by Schedule III. to this Act, and where the urban authority are a town council they shall have power, with the consent of two thirds of their number, to do the following things, or any of them, within their district: “To provide a market place, and construct a market house and other conveniences, for the purpose of holding markets: “To provide houses and places for weighing carts: “To make convenient approaches to such market: “To provide all such matters and things as may be necessary for the convenient use of such market: “To purchase or take on lease land, and public or private rights in markets and tolls for any of the foregoing purposes: “To take stallages, rents and tolls in respect of the use by any person of such market: “But no market shall be established in pursuance of this section so as to interfere with any rights, powers, or privileges enjoyed within the district by any person without his consent” (38 & 39 Vic. c. 55, s. 166). In many towns, markets both for cattle and general merchandise have been already established, and the duties of the town surveyor are simply to execute the necessary alterations and maintenance of the buildings in connection with them, but there may be occasions on which he has to advise his corporation upon the acquisition of land for the purpose of laying it out as a cattle market, and afterwards the erection of the necessary pens and buildings, and a few remarks upon the subject may be of some service. The site for a cattle market should be selected, if practicable, near to a railway station, so as to avoid as much as possible the dangerous and objectionable practice of driving cattle and sheep through the streets, and for the same reasons it should be near the public slaughter-houses if there are any in the town. Plenty of space should be provided in the market for the cattle to move about in, for it must be remembered that many of them which are sent to market are unused to the bustle of a town, and are wild and untractable, and have never in their lives been subjected to either penning or tethering. The site must be easily and effectively drained, it should be somewhat isolated with respect to neighbouring buildings, the more air that can be got to sweep through it the better. The accommodation necessary in a cattle market must vary considerably with the requirements of the district, but the following list may be given for selection: (1.) Pens or lairs for fat beasts. (2.) Pens or lairs for store cattle. (3.) Pens or lairs for cows with calves. (4.) Pens or lairs for calves. (5.) Pens for sheep.