TOBACCONISTS' GRIEVANCES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 31, 31 October 1907, Page 10

TOBACCONISTS' GRIEVANCES.

CHINESE COMPETITION. MINISTER FOR LABOUR' SYMPATHETIC. About a dozen Wellington tobacconists waited on the. Minister for Labour (the Hon. J. A. Millar) yesterday, to request an amendment of the Shops and Offices Act, compelling 'all vendors of tobacco to close, at a uniform hour. Messrs. I'\ M. B. Fisher, W. H. P. Barber, , and C. H. Izard, M.H.lt.'s were present. ' . -■■.•. '-* , ■ Mr. Fisher'said that the . Wellington to'lmcconists had petitioned the Minister to fix certain hours for closing in their trade. They were given to understand verbally by certain officers, of tho Labour Department that any regulations niado 011 the subject would apply to Chinese and others .who sold tobacco, arid on this understanding- they signed the petition for eight o'clock closing, which resulted in this being made the legal hour. The Chinese ,who dold tobacco; however, did not close at eight, and n''test case brought agairist one of their number was. dismissed by the .Magistrate. The Ch'meso were still selling tobacco lifter the .'tobacconists' hours, and it was suggested that it might be possiiTio this session to amend the' Shops and Oiliees Act as to place all parties on the same footing. The Minister had-held out the hope last session that he would do this, but, lie had not been able to do so theil. All people who-sold tobacco should be either allowed tc keep open alike, or compelled, to close at the same hour. If such an amendrrient could ,be made in the Act, it would appeal not only to tho members of the deputation,-from a business point of view, but to. all right l minded men in the Dominion. Mr. Li Christeson said that the tobacconists did not wish to revert to the. old system of late closing. They wished to close at eight o'clock as at present, arid to have the ;Act amended to compel no£ only the Chinese, but- all other sellers of tobacco, to close at that hour.

■ Another member of the deputation stated that a Cliinanian next to him, who kept the •same tobacco goods, had largely increased Jiis stock since the tobacconists wore made to close at eight, and after tliaj; hour, did a thriving business in tobacco, while the speaker's clients were always complaining because his shop was not open later in the evening. At the same timo ho'did not wish to go back to the old "slaving" hours. Mr. Barber said that he ivas in entiro sympathy with the deputation, and. thought that tlicy-had. a real grievance, which the State should remedy as Soon as possible. If the. Minister could amend thin matter, he would be doing a good service to the country. The Minister said that no was very pleased to have heard the deputation. .Ho had told them last year that lie would ondeavour to get a Bill through. He did not bolievo in a Chinaman having advantages over another man; in fact, he would not put him on the same footing with a European if ho had his own way. Ho referred to the largo number of important, measures which had made the session a very huny one, and stated that if ho had time tliis session he would ondoavour to put through a Bill, out if it was to l;c n> compulsory closing Bill, there would bo no chanco of its success this sossion. 'Whenever any attempt had been made to define closing hours, someone had immediately raised the case of tlio widow, who ought to ho-allowed to keep open. His own idea was that local bodies should have the power to license everybody who did business in their localities. Thoro might be a shilling cliargo for licenses, but the local authority would be able to refuse a liconso to any 'undesirable person. Thero were objections-to'this scheme, but on the whole ho favoured ; t. That, however, was not a matter that could bo dealt with this session. The easiest way to meet the deputation's needs would bo a one-clause Hill providing that wliorevor a regulation was duly signed and gazetted it should apply to every person who sold the kind of goods concerned. He would attempt to get such a measure as that passed this session, and it was possible that lie might succeed. Mr. Fisher asked wliother, if tlio Minister found that lie could not provide this remedy' during the present session, it would bo possible to eancol the Order in Council making tho tobacconists closc at eight. The deputation decided that tho trade would sooner close at eight in any caso, though they objected strongly to tho present unfair of competition.