FRUIT HAWKERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 106, 28 January 1908, Page 8

FRUIT HAWKERS.

' THEIR TRADE'TO-BE REGULATED. /. LICEXfis'TO ISSUE. ' 'The man with tie barrow of oranges and peaches has ■ lately Vbeen'giving softie trouble to' the municipal authorities and ths police. This :hawking. of fruit in the street,.is a comparatively new industry in Wellington,' and hitherto it has not been,'snbject. to any systematic . regulation: Complaints havo.'lately been made of , the r 'behaviour of soaie of the hawkers. .On a recent Saturday night a. group round one: barcpw, which was' stationed in front, of a fl'tiitorer's shop in. Molesworth Street, created some disturbance by. calling.out to trie..crowd, in language that via not choice, not to deal with the Chinaman. In. other cases hawkers have been, known to establish themselves in front of a Well-lighted shop, and make so much, noise, in.tho crying imd' soiling-of their • wares ; that- the shopkeeper found "it almost impossible to do. business. In one sucli instance,the shopkeeper shul; up early for this reason, and'; then the hawker abused him'» for-depriving him of the light... ■'.The municipal- authorities. have, been .watching developments, and have now vcoriclud?d tl'mti the timfc is .ripe for their' ihterventidn. Yesterday • morning Inspector Doyle met a number of fruit hawkers lit the City Offices, and explained the steps which it is proposed* to fake.' They expressed themselves as in general agreoment with .'his statement, and a .new order of'things is to be established .forthwith. Every fruit hawker will'be .required to take'out. license, and this license will specify the particular spot in the streets, where-he n-ilh.-be allowed to do business. Licenses . will only Ins granted to men . of good conduct,, and will b« issued immediately. Tho i-ystem of supervision will be worked in unison with the police; ■ At present there are about, twenty fruit hawkers in the streets.