FRUIT HAWKERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 24, 23 October 1907, Page 10

FRUIT HAWKERS.

Sir,—At a special meeting of the City Council held 011 Friday night, October 4, .' Councillor., Mlinger wanted to know.why fruit hawkers were not brought .within UlO scope of by-laws, and, after,some discussion;;, suggested that the Corporations Act of 1900 required amendment. As the • secretary of tho White ..Fruiterers' 'Protective, Associa-\ tion, .iwOl you permit .me to 'say that such members as at. present comprise our ,' Society are in agreement - with Councillor Ballinger on this matter, though , not exactly " lor the same, reason that ho, advances, viz., the protection of the rent-paying shop keepsrs, tho , reason of which i niake clear further on.' ■ . . ... i . . , 111 1000 the fruiterers, .both shopkeepers . and hawkers, . could ho counted oil one's lingers. At present I'have .sixty-one on .tlio . list beforo me. They may bo • divided into, •>' . three olasses: the first being the shopkeeper' solely; the second the shopkeeper who is also hawker;, tho third tho man who is solely hawker.. The two first may. be regarded as. . more or less responsible tradesmen,,the latter is not, and it is- with this latter-that steps,. . • shoukl.be taken. .His Worship the Mayor ■: explained that fruit hawk, rs wore'required to bo licensed ,y the Council,., but. no ...fee. could be chargod. This may bo so, but I ... challenge'the Council to produce to me a list of licensed fruit hawkers, Chinqso and whito. , Moreover, I am given to understand that the only control ,plr fruit hawkers is .by, tho police, under the move-on clause. Thus the Counc.l not only loses a revenue, which overy res-, pectable hawker is willing to pay, but letsloose upon the. public, a class of men whose,, methods one, cannot cut short except by the lorfeituro of their right to sell. .. . ; Takinc them as a body tho fruiterers are - as sound as .any other commercial body, ,but there aro. exceptions, and it is with thoso exceptions .that a license, giyen only under certain character qualifications, would copo. ; by all means let us have, the Act amended,.; and the Councilwi|l find that, the majority of the hawkers;are with them, and good,,wiil,,, result -in- more, directions than one.—l; am, ' C. do C. WILLIAMS, Secretary W.F.P.A. . 50 Manners Street.' ' ■: ' 1 '