CHINESE COMPETITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17269, 19 September 1919, Page 8

CHINESE COMPETITION.

CHRISfCHURCH COMPLAINT, BID. FOR FRUIT TRADE. EX-SOLDIERS' INTERESTS. , [BIT TEtBGBAPH.—OWN COXRESPOjitSEyt]' _\ CHRISTCHTJBCH, Thursday. The possibilities of the capture of the fruit business in Christchurch by Chinamen was referred to at a meeting of the Canterbury District Repatriation .Boards The secretary of the Returned Soldiers* Association forwarded a copy of a letter received from: two members of the association, one of whom had been assisted to purchase his fruit business by the Repatriation Board. The facts had reference ;. 'to the proposed opening of a rait shop in 1 the vicinity of six other fruit shops at Sydenham. It was stated that it was an attempt to capture the fruit trade of the , district by underselling. The executive of the Returned Soldiers' Association was of opinion that as one of the men had been assisted by the Department, the board should take immediate action to prevent any unfair competition. A petition was read from the twelve returned soldiers engaged in tie fruit business, in Chisstehurdi. It stated:— Chinamen are allowed to compete with as there is no doubt that in time they will capture, the whole of the trade in this city as they have already done in Auckland and -Wellington. We are confident that the public are being well served j under the present conditions. Unless ; something is done to protect us it will I mean that we will have to go out of the' I business and lose not only the money we ourselves have put into our respective ■ businesses, but your board will also be& i faced with the possibility of being losers • also." " :

It was pointed out th«fc under i.he Order-in-Council No. 115, dated Augast 27, 1918, and entitled " The War Regulations for the Protection of Soldiers* Businesses," clause 24 provided that — " No person can start in a naw business or extend one already existing without first obtaining the permission of the Efficiency Board." The executive officer of the latter board stated that this regulation was still operative. The board agreed that the petition and too letters should be sent to the efficiency -■ officer in Wellington, with a notification tnat the Canterbury District Board accorded the soldiers full support