THE ASIATIC

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 100, 29 April 1937, Page 9

THE ASIATIC

IN FRUIT TRADE

UNFAIRNESS ALLEGED

STRONG CRITICISM

The problem of Asiatic competition In. the fruit trade is dealt with by the Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Committee's report, which has been released. The committee recommends that every effort be made to compel Asiatics .to comply with the law, and that, if necessary, additional legislation be passed "so that the present unfair situation may be ended." The report states that Asiatics form approximately 20 per cent, of the fruit retailers in the four chief centres, not including those employed as assistants. The effect of their competition, however, can in no degree be assessed in terms of their numbers. The evidence given from one end of the Dominion to the other was unanimous that such competition has driven many Euro- • pean retailers out of business and made very precarious the position of those who are still in it. . It was alleged, and the committee considers proved, that the Asiatics work longer hours and accept lower wages than are considered desirable in European communities and that as they, as a rule, live in their shop premises they are able to undersell their white competitors. CONDITIONS AND WAGES. The European retailer usually has a wife and family to- provide for,, a separate home ■to maintain, and has to pay-wages at a reasonable rate for prescribed hours of work. The Asiatic .usually, has nothing, or little, in. the way of family responsibility, does not maintain a separate home, and works for longer hours at a less wage. The .European is, of course, forced to .sell at the price fixed by the Asiatic but can make little or no profit under such extreme conditions. It is alleged that even on Sundays they, work inside their shops arranging and repacking their stocks. European retailers say that, in many cases, the number of Chinese employed in certain shops is so large that if proper wages were paid and proper hours of labour ' observed, it would-be impossible to employ so many. Detailed evidence in support of this allegation in specific cases was adduced. It was several times stated by retailers, and corroborated by -many " wholesalers, that Chinese fruiterers frequently evaded payment of their debts and often became bankrupt. One extreme case was referred to in which five Chinese, in . succession, became Bankrupt in respect of the same .shop premises;, but there were many such instances though not to the same degree. It was suggested that the Chinese remit their money to China or take it away with them, but as to this, definite evidence was not forthcoming. ENFORCEMENT OF LAW. It was also alleged that very many Chinese evade any attempts to enforce the law regarding -hours of labour and rates, of wages by saying that those working in the shops are partners, not employees. It appeared to the committee that some, at least, of the prac- '■ tices objected;io could be overcome by ; -a .strict system of registration or' licensing of all individuals engaged in the retail fruit business' and by the enactment of legislation generally upon the, lines of the Imperial Act entitled "The Kegistration of Business Names Act, 1916" or of "The Begistratiqn of Firms Act, 1902" (Queensland)'. The committee considered that one person only should be entitled to be treated as the proprietor of the business; all others, whatever their status, being deemed to ,be employees for the purposes of the administration of the laws relative to labour and wage conditions. The committee also considered that there should be provision for a proper time-sheet to be posted up in the premises, showing the name of each employee and his daily hours of work (including commencing and finishing times), arid for.,the keeping of. proper time and wages books. Legislation upon these lines was already in existence (section 23 of "The Shops and .Offices Amendment Act, .1927"), but in some respects was not mandatory, but only enforceable upon . notice by the inspector. The depart-. mental officers explained that there was tremendous difficulty in attempting to enforce the Act. Many Chinese were unable—or professed. to be unable— to read or .understand ;English and the matter .of identification was also an ■ outstanding and; very real difficulty. There is apparently no restriction as to the hours a .fruit shop may remain. open for business unless definite hours are agreed upon by the retailers of a certain locality followed by s a requisition to the Department. Employees, are only supposed to work 44 hours per week, but the proprietor can work 24 hours per day if he so chooses. This raises difficulties where all those employed assert that they are proprietors. The 1927 amendment was designed to remedy this trouble.. The Departmental officers were of the opinion- that if all retail fruit shops were compelled to open and close at certain definite hours such a. course would remedy some, at least, of the matters objected to. The Committee recognises the very real difficulties in the way of enforcing the Jaw.in respec.t of the matters complained of. The chief obstacles are the inability of some Asiatics to read English and the difficulty of identification. It seems obvious, however, that Europeans are placed at an unfair and ' very serious disadvantage by reason of the practices complained of unless i they are prepared to work and live under the conditions apparently acceptable to Asiatics. Such an idea would be repugnant and the Committee strongly recommends that every effort be made to enforce the law as it now stands, and, if necessary, that pddttional legislation be passed so that the present unfair situation may be ended.. The passing of such legislation would be only one step to that end; its strict enforcement also would be essential. DISHONEST PRACTICES. Ihe wholesale auctioneers also experisnee trouble in connection with their dealings with Asiatics, chiefly with regard to bad debts incurred through advances made to market and trade debts owing by retailers. The risk of bad debts is an ovdinary commercial risk and would not call for comment in this report, but for the allegation that the element of dishonesty surrounds the circumstances under which these losses.arise *n respect of a good many Chinese. It was alleged that some Chinese contract debts under a given name, ■Mid when settlement is pressed for it is found that although the shop is sUJI being conducted under that name, a new set of occupiers are running the business who profess to know nothing about the debtor, or else say that he has gone Tjacls: to China. The same practice is said to occur in respect of advances to market gardeners. It was frequently stated, and instances were given, Of the sam: Chinese bor- j rowing successively from different , merchants, hi each case under a different name.

Cases of the same Chinese' traders becoming ■ bankrupt 'several times, in each case under entirely new names and subsequently recommencing business under.-other new names, were mentioned. The wholesaler is at _ a great disadvantage in dealing with Chinese under these circumstances, and it is suggested that registration and some method of identification would act as a salutary check on these practices. The wholesale merchants also complain of the. bad packing,, amount- , ing to positive dishonesty, on the part of a good many Asiatic ; growers. This ' complaint is endorsed by the retail 1 fruiterers throughout the Dominion . who are quite decided in their opinion that the quality and pack of vegetables grown by Asiatics are on the whole inferior ' compared with those grown and packed by .European gardeners. The-latter, however, are gradually being ousted from the market gardening industry. . "DISGEACEFUL CONDITIONS." The European market gardeners made strong representations before the Committee relative to what they ■termed unfair Chinese and Hindu competition. It was stated, on several occasions, that the wages paid to Maori employees of Asiatics were 5s per day of 12 hours. The -Committee has no means of verifying those figures, but is quite satisfied that the hours worked and wages.paid arc quite out of all reason and necessitate a standard of living which it would be grossly .improper to expect any white worker to follow. The practice of representing all Chinese workers to be partners is also used to evade the responsibility of providing proper conditions of labour. In this latter connection it should be mentioned that the living accommodation provided in. several Asiatic market gardens is disgraceful. The Committee .understands that this latter -feature-will in .due course be remedied pursuant to the powers contained in the recently-enacted .Agricultural.1 Workers Act. Regulations dealing, with the matter of .market-garden living accommodation were made five years ago, but were not enforced by reason of the economic depression. Remedial measures are long overdue so far as enforcement is concerned. In the rural districts immediately j outside the Auckland City suburban i areas the Asiatic competition during the past three or four years has had the effect of reducing the price paid for tomatoes, by the -canning factories from £10 to £s'los per ton. No European can compete with labour at 20s per week for a 14- to 16-hour day. Registration and the enforcement of proper working conditions are -urgently necessary if the European market gardener is to continue producing. Nor should'there be left any loop-holej whereby employees or others -could turn themselves into co-operative, workers and thus evade the law. THUMB-PRINT IDENTIFICATION. This Committee appreciates that it is its function to point out existing evils and generally to indicate the lines upon which corrective'measures which, in its opinion, are required. The difficulty will be ,in enforcing such measures owing to difficulties of language .and identification, particularly the latter regarding which -the only satisfactory method would be by thumb-print identification. It may be urged .against such a course that it would be strongly objected to if applied to Asiatics only, as making an invidious distinction between them1 and Europeans. The answer is that all that Asiatics have been asked to do is to conform to the laws of the country ;in which they live. A great number refuse or neglect to do so and enforcement of the laws has in their case proved abortive or difficult on. .account' of; identification difficulties. "'.By their ' own conduct they have! created a situation which cannot continue and for that reason they cannot fairly complain if the only remedial which are practicable are taken to end it.