GROCERY TRADE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 32, 8 February 1928, Page 12

GROCERY TRADE.

CONFERENCE IN NELSON.

TIME PAYMENT CONDEMNED

"MONEY FRITTERED AWAY."

(By Telegraph.—Press .*=<:r>«-iation.)

NELSON, Tuesday,

The annual conference of the New Zealand Master Grocers' Federation was opened to-day by the Minister of Lands, Hon. A. D. McLeod. More than 50 delegates were present. The Mayor, Mr. W. J. Moffatt, accorded the delegates a welcome to Nelson, and was supported by Mr. H. Atmore, M.P., Hon. W. W. Snodgrass and the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. E. H. Thomson.

In his presidential address, Mr. A. Goodley referred to the growing prevalence of time payment. He said money which should have been used in paying for the necessaries of life had been frittered away in time payment on the purchases of luxuries. The silver lining to the cloud was the determination of those who were supplying the necessaries of life to restrict credit, if not to insist on cash payment on delivery. Abolition of P.A.T.A. Regretted. The annua! report stated: It is with profound regret we have to report that the Proprietary Articles Trade Association, following an inquiry by the Government, ceased to exist. The attitude of the trade was presented in a comprehensive statement submitted before the committee was appointed to conduct the inquiry. Without wishing to reflect upon the personnel of the committee, the executive expresses its regret that the parties interested had no opportunity of making any recommendation as to any appointment.

"The executive does not feel called upon to pass any comment on the value of the evidence which was brought forward. Suffice it to say that those directly interested were far from being satisfied with the committee's findings."

"It is regretted that the time 'payment business is rapidly on the increase. Although the Government is well aware of the conditions that exist, there has apparently been no effort to introduce legislation to effectively deal with this question. Immediate action is necessary, as there is on every hand evidence that this method of trading is not only injurious to the legitimate trader, but is detrimental, having regard to the moral welfare of the general public."