ILLICIT TRADING
A DEFINITE MENACE RETAILERS PERTURBED REPRESENTATIONS TO GOVERNMENT (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 18. A protest against illicit after-hour and Sunday trading was made when representatives of the New Zealand Retail Tobacconists' and Hairdressers' Federation, the New Zealand Master Grocers' Association and other retailers' organisations met in Wellington to-night to consider combating what was described as a.definite menace to legitimate traders throughout the Dominion. Speakers stressed that the small shopkeeper, who was not required to pay high rents, wages and other overhead costs, could operate much more cheaply than the retailer in a bigger way and who was compelled by law to trade within more restricted hours. The meeting objected to dairies and small shops selling groceries and other lines which could not be sold by larger shops after certain hours. A deputation was appointed to wait on the Prime Minister (Mr M. J. Savage) and the following resolution was carried:—
" That the interests of legitimate traders here represented are being seriously affected by illicit afterhour and Sunday trading and that instability in employment is inevitable as a result of this; as there have been assurances by responsible Ministers of the present Government that the amended Shops and Offices Bill will contain clauses sufficiently comprehensive to eliminate illicit trading, this meeting shall appoint a representative deputation which shall wait on the Prime Minister to speak for the majority of the legitimate retail traders of the Dominion, urging the justice, urgency, and vital necessity ot bringing down the Bill during the last session of the present Parliament."
The meeting decided also to set up an active committee to formulate a plan for the new Act, making suggestions to the Minister of Labour (Mr H. T. Armstrong) that would be of assistance to him and lead to a proper control of the retail trade and to look after the interests of the trade generally.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 23504, 19 May 1938, Page 12
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315ILLICIT TRADING Otago Daily Times, Issue 23504, 19 May 1938, Page 12
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