THE OTHER SIDE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 25, 30 January 1932, Page 7

THE OTHER SIDE

FRUIT STAND QUESTION

STATEMENT FROM HINDUS

In the absence of the president' of the'.\lndjah Association" of iWeilington'y • Sir. K. Vellabh has ;nVade a. statement, in Teply to the protesti;of !.th'e Frurbsellers and Shopkeepers' 'Associations^ against the -"leasing of street fruit stands to Hindu barrowmen.

"It lias; been stated," said Mr.!! Vellabh, "that our methods: of:tradej are unfair, and that we should be done away with. I say that isi nbtrfair^ —riot, the good justice of the British .raj, and I say, too, that some statements' made were not true.

'.sWhat is the position? We come here ; under your own«laws. The City Council] advertises an auction js.Jtle of street' Btainds every quarter.--3Ct;^s open forVatll, -tojattend and bidV We;-attend' and b'ld'i ipj c those1 stands^i^e pay high prices-^r! :i"n' some• cases. f£s' and £6, a week: fjbr! the privilege" at standing on windyi street corners.in-all weathers. K'l'v

"Not only do we pay heavily, but I we have to pay the. whole of our quarter's ( rent in cash on the fall of the , hammer,'" -as well 'as ' pa^'-f or *"a| licence. How ni^ny shoipkeepe'rs in.; Wellington pay a'tiuafter's.-rent in ad-j vanes?- - ' . .%:/ ' 'xv ' ' ' >

.■JiSpbie' things^jh'ijve been said that! afefuntrue.' Ono;'s^aker?f<)r the depu-1 tatibii to the Ci.ty" CQu^tfeil's,health! committee t sayf-^tKat shopkeepers had1, to, keep the|r 'fruit properly protected! back from the doors. He knows, as well: as the , public 'that nearly every ', fruit1 and vegetable shopkeeper, .in Welling-; ton exhibit^,fruit and vegetables' in .^lie; lppW otftsideKJy^shcip: doors.;, ThereJis jin;; old ;l?ng!iSi'Vpr^rerbi,wl)icli,' say.s. 'Liye.a'ud let'live,'and it''is hard'for us if, when: we come,in and obey all your laws and, trade fairly under them," ■we cannot be let alone. Our lot is not an' enviable' one at' the best, but- it is not what you call'^ playing the game Kit, you make laws, under which we ', can, trade and then knock, them down ;to' suit a few people with, whom ,we .are, necessarily in competition.?': ~ ,■ : aiOHTS OF MXWIOIPAiITIBS.

"Observer'' writes to>"The 'Post' * as; follows:—-'/ Considerable 'discussion and- correspondence has ! taken place during the last-three or' four' years in Wellington in respect;' to permits ; giyen ,to fruit vendors to occupy certain stands in public streets for the purpose of selling fruit at such Btands-^this does not' refer to street hawkers travelling round from .house T;to house.'' s ?s leCiy?aS?»:ago; similar.^tanjls,. in Mother!' towns were ; leased, and in one case, in^ Chriatchurch, the" police" compelled a., fruit vendor to move away from a corner, .for which: he had a:permit, on the; ground that' the stand was a dangerous obstruction. "■ The fruit .vendor in. this case had paid a fairly stiff fee for his permit, so he took Court action to recover from r th'e City Coun-i cil the' amount- he liad< paid. The-Court .decided in favour of the1 fruit vendor j holding that: the City Council had no authority, to let or lease; any part ; of a public: street, road, or public thoroughfare for such purpose. The.writer is in no ; way interested ;in the..question from a business point, of view, but. as. a ratepayer I may: say that I; consider such fruit vending Btands as "those at; .the General Post Office and in some of the busy 'streets •: are , frequently, obstructions to ordinary city, traffic, as well as being untidy and at : time's unhealthy." ; .'--: ". v - . ; ;■'..■■ ; ; -'/,' ~ The point made" by the correspondent -regarding tl^e*;rigli,t pf itheiikunicipality to giye space iights'^n 'the:streets was mentioned .during ithe hearing':of: the deputation.' iotheiHealth .Committee of the; council,' and*it was'stated by the City Solicitor:■that the- Municipal Cor^: poratiori Act gave such poirersl ' All stands are reported"upon:by the Traffic Department and hone' are permitted in ..positions where, in the opinion •of .the Officers,! ;dangei?, ; or Obstruction" ina^? be caused.'Only -very recently >s" start!'was cancelled, because of traffic complications. ' ' '■'.-■ , . ■ :■',■