" SLAUGHTER" SALES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9390, 17 March 1898, Page 2

" SLAUGHTER" SALES.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — Your very sensible article re the abovo matters should commend itself to all fair-mindsd people. But wotild it be a remedy ? I fear not ! What is to prevent persons in large centres who have a lot of bad stock sending, or disposing of it, to' somo settled trader, who will have a "slaughter" (I hate the style in which these sales aie advertised and carried on) and at whioh sale these goods will be sold just 03, cheaply as by your itinerant trader? Or they may send it to <m auctioneer, as is done in many other lines, at tho present time, and he will "slaughter" it for them, and the town will get less out of the transaction under this latter mode, thai it would through rental from the temporary trader. Business, as carried on at the present timtf, is certainly on the lines of •' every man for himself," and, as Pat put it, " the Divil for us ail," There are many abuses which might he " raked up." Ono of them is that in which a Wholesale firm "start" someone who has nest to nothing, against those who have been buying from them and paying for what they get. Well this wholesale house starts this person, really to sell their goods for them that they may get a retail, as well as a wholesale profit, and it often happens that on the strength of his apparent position, he is able to get considerably into the books of other traders and when the "smash" come* No, I wholesale firm may often be the greatest loser; yet they must "push' r tiade.or lose tho opinion of the heads of the house in England. The ultimate failure of many small men is due, hi great measure, to the way in which large firms push, or force, their goods upon them; and many of our " slaughter " sales could be traced to the same source. It is a great temptation to a man, or woman, with a large family, and a small purse, to rash after bargains, either in food, dress*, or furniture) and what remedy is there? If such an one finds that he can send away to Wellington for a few pounds* worth of groceries, and that he can save nearly one pound in five, he will do bo, although it may lead to the draper sending his goods to be made up in Wellington, where he can get it done cheaper ; and our neighbour's friend who formerly did this work for the draper has to go on the Charitable Aid Board for relief. Where does it all land us, but in chaos ? Ths> only remedy that I can see is to substitute co-operation, national or international, for this thing we call competition, bnt until every human atom, is regenerated this will lie in the realm of phe impossible.— l am, etc., Ophcus.