ITINERANT TRADERS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11930, 23 January 1936, Page 2

ITINERANT TRADERS

DISCUSSION' AT I’UTAKUKU. A letter was received at the last meeting of the Putarnru Chamber of Commerce from the South Auckland Association of Country Chambers of Commerce asking for further consideration of the question of itinerant traders.

Discussion on the . matter again showed that the difficulty of fixing a proper definition of the word “itinerant’’ was the chief obstacle in recommending measures to check the damage caused by these traders to country businesses. The term differed in its meaning in the town and tbe country.

The Chairman, Mr J. R. O. Lochhead, said that the possibility of action by making the issuing of licenses more stringent was limited by the terms of the Municipal Corporations Act and by the fact that the reasonableness of increased fees might not be upheld by the Courts. The speaker believed that local chambers of commerce had little chance of solving the difficulty and that the term “auctioneer” had too wide an application, there being small chance of limiting the activities of itinerant traders operating under this name.

The meeting agreed that the matter was serious for country businessmen and that the public actually received no benefits through buying inferior goods.

Mr J. L. Aikman suggested that owners of premises might take collective action by refusing to let their premises for the purpose.

Dr. G. Campbell MacDiannid wondered if it was not a matter really concerning the Town Board, but Mr H. A. Rees and Mr C. C. Neal thought the business community was more deeply interested. The Secretary, Mr V. L. Drummond, said local bodies did their best to limit the activities of tile traders concerned. The president and the secretary were deputed to bring the matter before the South Auckland Association of Country Chambers of Commerce.