THAT “BACCA” LICENSE

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12197, 23 July 1925, Page 8

THAT “BACCA” LICENSE

TRADERS’ GRIEVANCE YOUNG PEOPLE ENCOURAGED LAW BROKEN WITH IMPUNITY Mr B. Ij. Hammond, of the Employers' Federation, made .some pertinent remarks at the meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce whon speaking on behalf of members of the .retail tobacco trade, who asked the support. of the chamber in their endeavours to divert the trade into legal channels. Mr Hammond first outlined the action which had been taken by the retailers to secure that the tobacco , trade was conducted in legal hours. It involved the question of protection, of the rights of traders to the extent that they had a right to be protected. Special hours had been provided' on certain days > of the week as stated in the award, 'but legitimate tobacconists were being handicapped. by illegal sales effected every day Of the week, not excluding Sundays. It was notorious that there were shops in Wellington where ono could buy cigarettes any hour of the day up to-11 o'clock and even midnight, and 0n... Sundays. Some wei*e confectioners' shops; Others were marble bars. All those -shops were breaking the law which sold cigarettes after the hours at which- 'tobacconists were compelled to close. LABOUR DEPARTMENTS DIFFICULTIES The Labour Department was charged Ttt. ©fctovcing the law. but there was a difficulty m doing it. They had to catch the offender red-handed, and to do so had to send an inspector in private canary or employ a member of the- public. Jhis meant taking part in a breach of the law, and that method had not been encouraged by the magistrates in court, for tb*y had disapproved of it. Therefore the department was reluctant to prosecute in such cases Quite a large percentage of the trade was going through illegitimate channels, and private traders thought some means should be de*wedt° suppress this illegal trading. > The customers are chiefly young pet£ pie, boys and girls and young women," continued Mr Hammond, * "and these vounT neople afe growing . up with the knowledge that they can break the law with impunity and thus underline theft sense of responsibility." 'They asked, the chamber to .recognise that the position in the tobacco trade to-day might be the position of any trade to-morrow, and to consider, if it was not the duty of the Government to give effect to legislation which would make the law operative. The present penalties were not hieli. enough to deter men from -breaking the law. The proposed license should only be a nominal one, and be issued without discrimination Offenders should be liable to a fine for the first offence, and upon a second offence the license should he withdrawn, so debarring them from trading in tobacco. Having lost his license* th**po«sessinn of stocks of cigarettes or tobacco would be prima facie evidence of illegal trading. TOBACCO AS A SIDE LINE The present position was taken advantage of ’by fruiterers and confectioners who had specially long bouts, and who sold tobacco as a side lina. The results

of meetings w'th the late Prime Minister and the Hon G I Anderson were mentioned, but the support of the chamber would enhance their chance r>f getting legislation through this session. Replying to questions. Mr Hammond said that If licenses were issued merchants would then know if their customers could be supplied. At present the merchants had no definite knowledge that their clients were breaking the law, and therefore could not cut off supplies The suggested license would only amount to three-farthings per day, and would not be a hardship even upon a widow. Mr H C South considered the tobacconists had a real grievance Only last Sunday he saw a man leaving a shop opening the cigarettes he had in« bought it was done quite openly Mr Hunt: The man would have been annoyed if he emild ftot have got. them. (Laughters The deputation ‘having, wii htlrawn. the chairman moved : —"That this. chamber, being convinced that the interests of the retail tobacco trade are being detrimentally affected by the amount of illegitimate trade now taking place as a result nf the ineffectiveness of the present law to suppress after-hour sales, is of the opinion that the Government should enffet immediately the legislation necessary to afford to law-abiding traders the measure of protection which they have the right to expect." Mr J. T. Martin seconded the proposition, which was carried unanimously.