Farmers pay to keep store

Press, 19 December 1986, Page 9

Farmers pay to keep store

PA New Plymouth Struggling Taranaki hill-country farmers have oiitlayed more than $6OOO to help the Kohuratahi General Store’s owner, Vivian Mutlow, stay in business. Because of the overwhelming response from the small rural community Mrs Mutlow’s store will stay open. She planned to close last month, tired of writing off debt after debt from people not paying. But people in the area did not want to lose their store, which also serves as a post office, and so they organised a public meeting to tell Mrs Mutlow they would pay existing debts and regularly pay accounts.

So far they had kept their side of the bargain, she said.

However, she plans to keep a close watch on

things and will still close if accounts are not paid and people refuse to pay cash for petrol. "I am quite happy to stay here so far,” she said. “It is pretty quiet out here, but I will be looking to see what happens over the next two months.

“They are still putting it on the tab, but on the twentieth of each month they are going to pay it off,” she said.

People have suggested a blackboard for names of people who have not paid their accounts by the due date.

“It could be rather embarrassing if they do not pay up.” The incident had at least put Kohuratahi on the map, she said.

“I have had a lot of postcards and Christmas cards from people wishing me luck with the shop.”