ITINERANT TRADERS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 89, 13 March 1935, Page 8

ITINERANT TRADERS.

A DIFFICULT PROBLEM. QUESTION OF DISTINCTION. Stating that it had again had under consideration the question of itinerant trading, the executive of the Associated Chambers of Commerce notified the Palmerston North Chamber o( Commerce, in a letter read at a meeting of the latter yesterday afternoon, that, on investigation, it saw many practical difficulties in the way of framing a recommendation to meet the position satisfactorily. There was the case, for instance, of stock auctioneers, who already had to pay a fee of £4O in respect of each auctioneer in each centre. There was the question of what constituted itinerant trading and what constituted hawking. There were reputable trading concerns to-day who carried on wlvit might be termed itinerant trading in adjacent and smaller centres, and which concerns it was evidently not the intention to deal with in the Wanganui suggestion that amended legislation he introduced empowering local bodies to impose a more equitable fee (say, £25 for any period up to three months), on itinerant traders and autcioneers operating in any centre. The question of unemployment was another aspect of the problem ; persons otherwise unemployed were exercising self-reliance and enterprise bv engaging in itinerant trading. “Under all the circumstances,” it was added, “the executive considers on the evidence before it that the whole subject is too complicated to be dealt with in a wholesale manner, and that merely for the present fee to be increased as suggested would result in injustices. Consequently, the executive proposes to take no further action, except that if chambers have any suggestions to make, it will be pleased to reopen the subject.” The president (Mr A. J. Graham) commented that the matter had been before the City Council on several occasions. Mr H. B. Free mentioned that the subject was on the agenda paper for discussion at the next conference of the Municipal Association, and meanwhile he considered that little coukl be done. Mr K. Henderson said housewives could be requested not to deal with such traders, but to confine their business to legitimate traders who were paying rents and other charges in the city. Inspector S. Rawle stated that the worst offenders were those who opened up a shop for a few weeks or months, took the cream of the business in the best season, and then departed. The letter was formally received.