INTERESTING TO TRADESMEN.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9382, 8 March 1898, Page 3

INTERESTING TO TRADESMEN.

At the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr C. C. Kettle, S.M., the case of Blake (Inspector of Factories and Work, rooms) v. McAlisterandShalders.drapers, of Auckland, was heard, Mr Marshal} appeared for the informant and Mr Barnicoat for the defendants. The defendants wore charged with keeping their shop open on Thursday after, noon, the 17tb of February, and also with employing shop assistants after 1 o'clock in the afternoon of the same day. Mr Bavmcoat said he had advised his clients to plead guilty to both charges, but W}she4 tq place before- the Court thg B.peejal pircumstaupes under which the ■defendants had kept ppen. They did not intend'to preals the law. The defendants were drapers ojirrying on business jn p, large way in Auckland. They send goods here occasionally, and open a shop for a few weeks at n time to dispose of them, and sometimes wmd up by holding an auction sale. On the occasion iv question Mr Keesing, the auctioneer, was selling defendants' goods by auction. It was a cleaving sale by auction, and it might therefore be contended that the defendants were not m law carrying oi the business of shopkeepers. It, however, appeared that on the following day , the defendants had sold goods in the ordinary way of business, and he (Mr Barmcoat) had therefoio advised the defendants to plead guilty, but contended that the fine should under the circumstances be nominal. Mr Marshall said he did not ask for anything beyond a nominal fino The Department wished to let it be known that keeping open under the circumstances ad- - mitted in this case was p. breach of the Act j- and would be so treated. His Worship said that under the circumstances a fane of 5s and costs would be imposed in such case. He thought it was Bomewhat unfair to the local-established traders who lived peimanently in the town and spent their incomes heie that people should be allowed to open temporary Bhops in that way, hold cheap soles, and then go off with the money in thenpockets. However, that was a matter for the business members of the community to take up. ■ Probably if a substantial license fee were imposed on every itinerant trader who visited the town it would, to a eettain extent, protect the established traders Iron* 'such competition.