PROTECTING SHOPKEEPERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20130, 15 December 1928, Page 15

PROTECTING SHOPKEEPERS.

A MORRINSVILLE BY-LAW.

CRITICISM BY MAGISTRATE-

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. J MORRINSVILLE. Friday. Criticism of the Morrinsville Borough 1 Council's method of "protecting local shopkeepers" was offered by Mr. Wyveiu Wilson, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court when Robert Salon, auctioneer, of Wellington, was charged with selling goods in the borough without a licence. Ths offence was alleged to have taken place 4 fortnight ago, when Salon advertised 4 quantity of bankrupt stock for sale in tlio Coronation Hall, and duly carried out the auction without procuring an itinerant trader's licence.

Asked to deline an " itinerant trader," Mr. C. H. McKay, town clerk, referred the magistrate to the borough by-laws. The Magistrate: According to thiß any, shopkeeper carrying on under a weekly or monthly tenancy would be an itinerant trader. What is the object of the by-i law? Is it aimed at protecting local shopkeepers ? Mr. McKay: Exactly. The Magistrate: Is that a good thing for the town ? If competition is kept out the town becomes a closed corporation and prices remain high. The residents are penalised. Mr. McKay's answer was that shopkeepers had to pay rates throughout th«| year. Itinerant traders came in at opportune times and paid no rates. The magistrate said that by engaging S shop or a hall for a-short period they would pay rates indirectly, and would probably pay more than if they paid monthly or yearly. He could not see the reason for the by-law. However, it was there. Defendant had not paid the fetf in the ordinary way. He would pay it in another. The amount was £5, and Salon would be fined that sum.