CORRESPONDENCE.

Grey River Argus, 24 July 1923, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

ITINERANT TRADERS. (To the Editor.) Sir, —On the question, should Kumara act to impose a charge on itinerant traders, I say, certainly, act! Everyone is acting! Be in the fashion! Call a big meeting, appoint rangers to scout for strangers daring to compete against you! Seize them, and apopint your own J.P. or Magistrate, and punish them with the utmost rigour. Hokitika docs it, so does Ross. Greymouth (or at least the drapers of Grey) have spoken; their word is law, they are going to do it. Just fancy the impudence, of a mm from foreign parts daring to come here and sell the blouse, the shirt, or the dainty lingerie at about a third less than they charge for it. Their slogan is, or was, at the last ballot for the Wednesday or Saturday half-holidry: Will the birds of passage do this or that? Of course, they are not birds of past age, when they send their big motor vans or horse lorries round the small country towns. They don’t care a bit for the feelings of the storekeeper or small draper. What a cheek if he dared to suggest unfair competition; but of course it is very unfair if an ‘ 1 itinerant’’ traveller dares to come to Grey from such remote parts of the Empire as Christchurch or other outlandish towns. The public of the Coast should buy from “Us, We and Co.”, not from anyone who can supply their wants rt a cheaper price. There is no 'aw on the Statute Book that gives any borough the right to charge £5 to a salesman or woman, but a council comprised of shopkeepers could pass a law themselves; but putting it in force, if it was tested, it would perhaps be another matter. Anyway, let Kumara follow Grey’s lead, and act, or else all the drapers, etc., in Kumara will “go broke.” Call a meeting at once, if not sooner. —I am, etc., ITINERANT.