FRUIT HAWKERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 23, 28 January 1908, Page 8

FRUIT HAWKERS.

PERMANENT STANDS ALLOCATED. A COMPLAINT AND A REPLY. The cry of "Ripe and Juicy" will no longer salute the ears of users of tho busiest thoroughfares of city, for tho peripatetic fruit hawkers have been given permanent locations in streets where the city traffic is less congested than it is in the localities 'hitherto affected by the b,arrowm?n. The city authorities decided that the conduct of business by aqme of tho hawkers constituted a nuisance, and to inaugurate ii new order of things twenty permanend stands were allotted and arrangements made to apportion these by lot. There was a gathering of thirty-one barrowmeji at ths Town Hall to-day, when a ballot for places took place under superintendence of Mr. James Doyle, Inspector of Nuisances. The ten men who drew blanks were given, the right to traverse the outside portions of the city in search of trade, and the twenty who drew permanent stands will find it necessary to drop ' their peripatetic traffic and keep to tho spots indicated as their business places. Some of the hawkers called at the Evening Post Office to-day and complained about the steps taken, by tho City Council. They contended, that by limiting tho places whei'o fruit could b-3- sol a from the barrow, the council was practically driving them off the road. Tho places allotted, they state, are away from the general traffic. They admitted that there wers a, few men with barrows who were causing trouble and inconveniehce, but the complainants aid not think it fair that tho majority of th 4 fruit hawkers, respectable men, should bo mado to suffer for the shortcomings of the few. They were taking legal advice in the matter, and they did not intend to give up without a struggle. It was also stated that there would be an abundance of fruit in the coming month, and contended that it would bo advantageous to the general public to be able to obtain that fruit cheaply. The Town Clerk, who was asked to give the municipal side of the matter, replied that because of the many complaints received from shopkeepers and the public generally with regard to the conduct of tho fruit hawkers in the city, it had been found imperatively necessary to regulate their traffic, and the most advantageous way of doing this, with tho least inconvenience to everybody, and the greatest certainty of tenure to the hawkers themselves, was to allot the fruit hawkers stands in the city where they would not interfere with the regular shopkeepers and the traffic in the main streets would not be obstructed. These hawkers, continued Mr. Palmer, undoubtedly served a very useful purpose in cheapening fruit, and their patrons amongst the public would quickly get to know where the particular stands were situated. The licensing of these men was conditional upon good behaviour, and tho step taken by tho council authorities met with tho hearty approval of the police. The Corporation officials would keep keen watch over affairs, and when the licenses were to be reissued they would be fully seized of the latest facts bearing upon the traffic. The licenses were issued to the men in accordance with lots drawn by themselves ; no charge was made for them, and there was the additional fact that the hawkers had no rent or taxes to pay, as the regular shopkeppers had, so it could not be fairly contended that the council had done them any hardship. The general traffic in the main thoroughfares was already congested, and the increasing bulk of business made regulation imperative.