FRUIT BARROW STANDS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 142, 11 March 1919, Page 4

FRUIT BARROW STANDS

CONDBSINED BY FRUITERERS' ASSOCIATION. When the city street corner fruit | stands were recently nuotioned it was. evident from tho prices paid that, the business was a good paying proposition, and at yesterday's meeting of the Wellington. District Fruiterers' Association it was pointed out that these Gtnnds were affecting the business of the retail fruit shopkeepers. The secretary of the association (Sir. J. W. Hanson) .pointed out to a Dominion representative yesterday that tha members of the association were agreed that these barrow stands were grossly unfair to the shopkeepers. The owners of the barrows invariably bought up large quantities of "glutted" lines from the market—they never offered more than two iines and sometimes only one—tomatoes or apples. They sold perhaps 20 to 30 cases of a "glutted" line in a day at prioes n little-cheaper than those offering at the fruit shops. The hawkers could do this as they had not bie rents to pay and could follow other callings, such as ■collecting bottles or working on the wharves, when the fruit season was at an end. The retail fruit shopkeepers had to face heavy rents, stock every line of fruit available, and in addition keep their business going throughout, the winter months. Sir. Rnnson emphasised tho fact that members of the association desired to protect their interests and to secure just and reasonable conditions of trading in respect of fruit and vegetables. The hawkers had undoubtedly affected the fruit'shopkeepers' business, and it was decidod to arrange for a deputation to wait on the.City Council at its next j meeting with a view to having the street- | corner barrow system abolished.