CITY BICYCLE DELIVERIES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21314, 6 November 1934, Page 10

CITY BICYCLE DELIVERIES

♦ PROTEST TO COUNCIL LABOUR DEPARTMENT ASKED TO PREVENT PRACTICE The Chrislchurch City Council, at the request of the New Zealand Alliance of Labour, has considered the prevalence in the city of large box out-riggers attached to bicycles used by youths to deliver goods ordered by firms, but adopted a report before its meeting last night that no direct action through amendment to city by-laws could be introduced to prevent such delivery being continued. The Alliance of Labour protested against the practice as being virtually express delivery. The report from the by-laws committee stated that a letter had been received from the New Zealand Alliance of Labour suggesting that a by-law be framed preventing business firms employing youth labour virtually as "express delivery."

The council's attention was drawn to the number of traders in the city owning huge box out-riggers attached to cycles for the delivery and general carrying of the firms' requirements in the city limits. It was considered that the practice was most injurious to the boys because of the huge loads they were propelling in all kinds of weather, and it was suggested that legitimate carrying firms or other means of delivery had been discarded for cheap boy labour. Referred to Labour Department The committee stated that it fully recognised the evils of the practice, but as the boys were not hawking goods, but were delivering goods ordered from business firms by clients, the mailer did not come under the control of the council.

The committee, however, had drawn the attention of the Labour Department to the practice, and had asked if something could be done to stop delivery by cheap boy labour. The report was adopted.