Private Fruit Buyers

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 92, 12 January 1935, Page 9

Private Fruit Buyers

Sir, —I wish to write strongly about a grave injustice that is being done to the fruit retailers of this city. I refer to what is known in the trade as the "private buyer” in the fruit marts. Take the case of the fruit retailer: He pays a tax to the Health Department to open his shop. By law he is compelled to pay his assistants good wages. He works exceptionally long hours to earn a pittance, which the Government takes from him in income tax and unemployment levy. Half the' cost of the benzine he uses in his truck goes in Customs duties and' 25 per cent., exchange. He attends the markets, ray to buy raspberries, and by hanging to the rafters gets a bird's-eye view of the fruit, the stalls and dress circle being occupied by the private buyers, who, having no shop to look after, get there by the early doors. Being “mug” buyers they run the fruit up, this suiting the auctioneer .working on a commission basis, and the grower. Also started: The Fruiterer (out of Business by First Opportunity). He goes to the vegetable department, buys a crate of beans, pays fourpence on the crate and gets'threepence back when he returns it, after having to produce sales dockets to prove he is the rightful owner. The private buyer can tip his beans, bought at the same price, into bags brought for the purpose and shared with the neighbours at a profit, and is not charged for the crate, thus saving one penny. Now to the bunch goods, such as carrots. The private buyer bide, selects the largest bunch (being in a big way), pays the auctioneer, who holds up the sale to give the 19/10 change, the real cashier being paid £lO a week (perhaps) to do the job. The fruiterer lines up in a queue, waits 20 minutes for his docket, then finds that his carrots have disappeared. Facilities are provided for the private buyers to top their carrots, etc., in the market, the fruiterer having to provide special covered bins for his waste and paying 1/- a load to the des- . rructor, only to find, perhaps, the place closed on account of the Duke inspecting the school children miles away—as was our experience. However, that’s another story.

Now if the poor people really benefited by the privilege of buying in the open markets one would not mind eo much, but it is not so. The private buyers are eften well-to-do people. The auctioneers state that the law compels them to sell to all and sundry. I suggest that now is the time for the fruiterers to stick up for their rights and be granted the same protection afforded to other retail trades. —I am, etc.. LUM JUM. ■Wellington. January 9.