THE COUNTRY RETAILER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 93, 21 April 1911, Page 7

THE COUNTRY RETAILER.

A COMPLAINT AND REPLIES. : fBI IBLEGBAPH — SPECIAL TO THE POST.} PALMERSTON N., This Day. Speaking at the recent No-iicense Convention at Palmerston, Mr. J. M'Gregor, of Masterton, gave the explanation of one of the smaller retail tiadesmen of that town regarding the depression felt all over New Zealand by the small retail tradesman. It was claimed that this is largely due to the fact that the big wholesale merchants now send large delivery wagons miles out into thecountry, and that the farmer who previously drove into town and got his goods from whatever tradesman he patronised, now communicated by telephone with the big merchant, 'whose delivery cart passed his door, and so the smaller man suffers. "Absolute nonsense," was the . comment made by a Wellington merchant on the above message. "The 'big merchants' do nothing of the kind; never have done it. Probably what is referred to is the large - retail drapery houses of various centres soliciting orders and delivering them. It is hard, this for the small local man, who has to pay rent, rates and taxes in his district, but it is a quite legitimate proceeding on the part o£ large retail houses wishing to extend their trade. Reference was made by a soft goods merchant to the telegram in the following terms : — "The speaker comes from Masterton. This town is now suffering at certain times of the year from the fact_ that instead of, as formerly, men coming in from the country with big cheques to 'knock down,' they go to places where there are licensed houses. I do not say that this is a good thing for the men, i.e. , spending their cheques at the bars ; but I do say that money filtered through the notels into the town, and that that money now goes elsewhere — to Carterton or • Palmer st on." "Twenty years ago goods were delivered by merchants, but not now. It didn't pay," said a wholesale grocer. "No merchant in Wellington, nor elsewhere so far as I know, does it now. The statement is absolutely nonsensical. Large retail houses send out goods; Syrian hawkers take round their vans; but merchants, no. Large country storekeepers are doing to-day nothing more than they have always done — delivering orders."