CHINESE GROCERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 7, 24 August 1911, Page 7

CHINESE GROCERS.

Wellington has many Chinese who combine the fruit and grocery business (says the “Post”)- Just as the but in the fable could claim to be both a bird and a four-footed’animal, according to the promptings of selfinterest, the unnaturalised Chinaman has been in the position of being a grocer or non-grocer, to suit his own purposes. The unfair . advantages which Chinese were able to enjoy wore brought under the notice of the Minister of Labour, and the Hon. J. A. Millar has apparently found a solution of the difficulty. Discussing the requisition regarding grocers’ closing hours, the Minister states that when it is brought into operation it will ’I-ply 1° all shops in the city in which groceries are sold, whether groceries comprise the principal business or not, and nnnaturalised Chinese will be bound to observe the conditions specified in the order. It is possible that the departmental reading of the law will he questioned, For it is not long since the Minister confessed his perplexity in dealing with shops in which the principal business was not clone in the lino of groceries. However, whether the Minister is able to maintain himself in his present position or not, public opinion will insist on a cessation of preferential treatment of Chinese whose methods and standard ,of bring enable them to undercut their white competitors. Their capture of the fruit trade was by gradual stages, and they have been making enough progress in the grocery business to cause some alarm. Experience has proved here and in other English-speaking countries that when Chinese get a grip of any industry or tra.de they steadily make headway unless strict care is taken to prevent them from enjoying undue advantages.