EARLY CLOSING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 745, 19 August 1929, Page 10

EARLY CLOSING

ONEHUNGA TRADERS OPPOSE EXEMPTION I “AN INDEFINITE STATUTE” Some important remarks regarding exemptions of shopkeepers from early closing were made in the Onehunga Police Court today by Mr. F. H. Levien. S.M. On behalf of several Onehunga shopkeepers, Mr. M. Rodger applied for • the cancellation of an exemption order ! from early closing recently granted ;to C. E. Hutson, bookseller and stationer. _ _ H. C. Rowlands, grocer, 1. C. Turnbull. chemist, and Johu Wynn, hairdresser and tobacconist, gave evidence in support of the application. They said that Hutson had added several fresh lines to his stock since the exemption order had been granted to him. They contended that they were being penalised by having to close their shops at 5.30 p.m., while Hutson was permitted to sell similar goods to their’s until S p.m. Mr. Levien, in granting the application, said that Hutson, having added such items to his stock as toilet requisites, patent medicines, etc., had not acted in good faith. It would be inequitable, to allow him to carry on under cover of his exemption. He should have kept to the line of business he previously dealt in. The statute, said Mr. Levien. was gloriously indefinite. If other shopkeepers in Onehunga found that exemptions were affecting their sal& then the whole question would have to be resumed. Any shopkeeper, by adding good selling lineg to his stock, could compete unfairly against other traders under covei of an -exemption. No trader should get such undue preference.

When these original exemptions were granted there was no opposition, but now that other traders found that they were being affected the question arose as to whether all exemptions in Onehunga should not be cancelled. He thought that now that definite opposition had been made it would be better to revert to the old state of affairs.