UNFAIR COMPETITION.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 January 1930, Page 6

UNFAIR COMPETITION.

(To the Editor). Sir—Will you kindly allow mo space to make a few remarks concerning some matters which, I think, should exercise the mind of the public of Hawera, more particularly that portion of the public which is in the retail business. A few years back tho Christmas season was looked upon as a time when all human nature joined heart and soul in the attempt to carry out that ancient quotation: “Peace on earth, goodwill to all men.” But what is the position to-day? Absolutely the reverse. Instead of entering into tho spirit of the foregoing quotation, I think the following would bo more applicable to-day: “Grab the earth; ill-will to all men.” One can see on all sides the greed of gain is at the root of all this. In business, for instance, a while back there used to be a fair amount of what I call “business morality,” i.e., when one business would not think of being so immoral as to interfere with the other person’s business. Is this so at the present time? Or has the present-day business man lost all sense of what is right and fair and allowed himself to become a victim of this immoral traffic? Herein, I think, lies the cause of a lot of the unrest in the world to-day—avarice. Technically speaking, this may be right, ‘but morally it is wrong, and I think this outweighs the technical aspect of the question. If wo become immoral in our business methods, where does it get us, and what can be expected of future generations? Can wo expect to continue “Peace on earth, goodwill to all men?” In Hawera wo have a Retailers’ Association, and I often wonder what their missidn is. Ono would naturally expect them to specialise in trading in the interest of each other. But it seems to me they exist to help themselves first, and in their spare time have a dig into their brother businessman’s business. The only members of this association that do agree, to my mind, are the butchers. They certainly show a finer judgment in conducting their business. You never hear of them having a “sale” or “cutting the prices,” let alone putting in a line of toys and fancy goods when Christmas comes round. They may stray in other directions. By the way, sir, might I ask the Hawera butchers a question here? Can they explain to the public why they put an extra penny per lb on lamb during Christmas week, making it Is 4d per lb, when the price of lambs is down? Naturally one would have thought the price should have dropped Land been more in keeping with Stratford and other Taranaki towns.

Now, sir, 1 have somewhat deviated from the course I wished to pursue, and, in conclusion, will get back. The crux of the whole question and the point I wish to make is: Why does a draper turn his business into a toy and fancy shop at Christmas time? Why does a grocer do likewise if groceries are a paying proposition? Why does an auction mart stray from its own line of business? In fact, I saw crockery in a chemist’s shop. Some of these business acrobats would feel delighted if they heard some of the comments on their feats. By any stretch of imagination I fail to see that their style of “butting in” immorally is anything but really wicked, mean and covetous and leads to discord. and discontent. And yet some of these transgressors try to camouflage themselves under the good old axiom, “Peace on earth; goodwill to all men.” Bosh! I trust something here said, may tend to cause them to think and then they may realise that they are not acting in the best interests of humanity in straying from their own particular line of business at Christmas time. I am for

“PEACE ON EARTH.” Hawera, December 31.