ITINERANT TRADERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 185, 6 August 1932, Page 16

ITINERANT TRADERS.

ACTIVE IN WELLINGTON. PROTEST BY DRAPERS. REQUEST FOR CITY BY-LAW. "These people come into the city for a, dav, a week, or a month, take a place* on a snap rental, and. having skimmed tlic cream off the business, get away. Without doubt they are a disturbing factor to the permanent, legitimate trader," said Mr. A. <T. George when entering a protest against the itinerant trader before the by-laws committee of the Wellington City Council. Mr. George was one of a deputation of leading drapers, representing the New Zealand Drapers' Federation, which was introduced to the committee by Councillor T. Forsyth, who said they were concerned with the practices of itinerant traders who, picking the reason, cut the prices, and did a trade that was hardly fair or legitimate business, and was not at all fair to those business people who paid rents and rates all the year round and found it difficult to meet this form of competition. The City Council had the power to check that sort of thing, and that had been done in other parts ot the country, notably at Wanganui, where a certain fee was imposed as a guarantee that such traders would stay in the town at least six months. Methods of Traders. Mr. H. A. Huggins, a councillor, in explanation, said there was a statute prohibiting trade of this kind. The usual practice in the past was to buy up cheap lines in the city and run them out in country towns. Wellington had not been subjected to this form of trading- to any extent until recently. Now there was evidence that these people had been selling at prices against which the ordinary trader could not compete. Mr. 11. Vivian said that the itinerant trader secured an empty shop for about £4 a week, for which in ordinary times he would have to pay £12; he reaped a harvest for a month and then moved on. He had, as a rule, no assistants, and very little "overhead" to meet. Mr. George related that these traders secured liquidated stocks, got into premises at a low rental and sold such goods at wholesale prices at auction or private sale. Without any doubt they were a disturbing factor, as their priccs were often ridiculous. Protection Needed. "This matter has for many years been before the New Zealand Drapers' Federation and many remits have been considered at the conferences," said Mr. D. S. Patrick. "It is very unfair to legitimate traders for those people to <"et in with job lines. We do feel'that in a place like Wellington in these difficult times, with rates still as high as ever, that the time has arrived when we should be given some protection against the itinerant trader." The chairman, Mr. Huggins, said he was pleased the deputation had come, as it would probably bring the matter to a head. The council had power to pass_ a by-law against such practices. It is a. serious matter, whicli deserves serious consideration," said Mr. Huggins. "You have my sympathy. If the council can stop illegitimate trading it should do so." °