CORRESPONDENCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12089, 18 August 1917, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE.

TO CORRESPONDENTS. A Purchaser.—Your letter contains too much advertising matter. We have made no reference to _the article which you praise so highly. Our advertising columns are always open to those who desire to commend articles. .SOCIAL PARASITES. TO THE EMTOIt. Sir.,—-I an. pieased that yon have taken up the cudgels against unscrupulous canvassers infesting Christchurch just now, and I fully endorse thc_ stvtoments of "Bitten" and " Nearly Bitten." My wife has been victimised in the same. way. Tho man would not take "No" for an answer, but embarked on a well-rehcarscd and most "convincing" programme of apparent truths, which on investigation I found to be a bundle of polished ties. Being of an unsuspecting disposition, my wife naturally fell an easy prey—indeed, from what she tells me, tho man had her completely under his influence—and she Paid the money and signed the form quite against her wiii. From inquiries made, J. find that tho landed cost of one article^canvassed is approximately one-tenth of the. prtco asiied. A:i "Nearly Bitten" indicates, I think it is high time a stop was putf •to this sh:idy business.—l am, etc., ALSO BITTEX. Christchurch, August 17. PKOFITIIERING. TO 'HIE I-JUITOR. G:r : —May I take the liberty of plac- ! iug before your readers a few J acta that have been bruusdii, home tuthcr ; unpleasantly to niyceli and family, and 1 dar.. j tay to thousands of other families in New Zealand, if it does nothing eke. it v.-ill help to show how ti.e shopkeepers are doing their little bitto reduce the purchasing power 01 the dirty £1 note, i think it was Carlylo who said, " Give me facts, feed mo on facta." Perhaps iacts as facts are no* very nouriiiiing as an article oi diet; but thay will serve to show what is : going or. in Christchurch every day. Fact 1: CaUcd at a certain shop for lib oi la 6d tr.a. Was told that it was 1* j'Jti notv. Asked why. Was told " Jn- ! creased duty." Now. your parliamentary reports t;.iake Sir J. 0. Ward :-ay thai u<> m-Ci-v-diei shall be made, and in answer to niterjectiom that the. increases h.rv. already 'been parsed on, he said that tl:-y v.ould have to be refunded, wholefci','.i.- c-r rctaii. h your rejiort. corroer ? I pir.y .otato th.tr, 1 luive purchased the. itir.i! tea for the last six or si.ycii years J i\'i a fb.(>\> iov Is od per il> until a. tew j months aero, when it was increased to 1.3 6d per" ;'b. New it is to be Is Od. Iyer ib. Legal or illegal, v.-hiui'. j Fact 2: A friend priced an article, at. ! nuoiher .e:->tabik.-hmcr.t, and was told lis Id. She remarked, "Oh, 1 ihr>r.gh& iit wai 10d." ''Oi], no; the war. etc." 'J ho same day I purchased tho same articlo at another shop for lid. I'ttwt 3: I sent my child for a bottle ox liniment, io a chemist, the usual price being Is. I was charged Is (id. j i'he child was cent back and told to ask for the return of the money. Ho K?.3 told it was a mistake, and the six- ! pi-nca v/as returned. Feet '1; I purchased a piece of meatl I ftl a cost ot 2s lOd, also Gd worth of I sausages—thero were five. On steiving ' for breakfast a cupful of fat was taken I oi: : che water they were cooked in. 'lllO I following week I purchased at another ! fchop the fic.me. out of meat and got lib i more for 2j (>d; that is to say, 1 got; ! lib mere meat for id less. Now, k tins fair or honest dealing? Why, only to-night I asked the price cf. butter .".r.d was quoted amongstothers pastry butter Is Gd per lb. The mciribcr for T.'airarapa said the other r.'olit iv the House that " there was; thousand i of pounds of -first quality butter offering at Is per lb wholesale and that they we.ro still selling it at* Is 3d retail." Tht-sj are facts that can bo investigated. T could give you tho names and addresses of the persons co nee rued. All that I state can bo verified. If you care to take the matter uo yoti will get evidence of far morn I glaring cases than I have mentioned ' here,—l am, etc.,