STOLEN DRAPERY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 73, 28 March 1933, Page 4

STOLEN DRAPERY

ORGANISED TRAFFIC

CONCERN IN AUSTRALIA

.Fears that drapery is being stolen and disposed of to the public through retailers, sometimes acting in collusion

with an unknown gang, are alarming softgoods merchants in Australia. It is alleged that in on© case there is reason to believe that before a warehouse robbery was committed the goods to bo carvied away were offered to a retail trader in Melbourne.

Although arrests have been made from time to time, influential members1 of the trade say they believe that only the agents of men "higher up" in ar illicit drapery ring have been caught. "There is no doubt that the.elothino industry in Australia is menaced by rocent. sinister developments," said one authority in Melbourne recently—"thp organised disposal of stolen goods and the undercutting of Australian manufacturers by a foreign element which is rapidly increasing, and which we have good cause to believe in some cases evades payment of both sales tax and income tax, and seeks to reproduce'the labour conditions of European sweating. "Wholesale houses are not alarmed by the growth of chain and department stores, but they aro concerned about other developments."

In the last year there have occurred several largo softgoods robberies, some of which have not been made public by the houses robbed. From ono warehouse silks valued at several thousands of pounds were stolen last year. Only a small portion was recovered. In the case of another robbery, the thieves showed a wide knowledge of the drapery trade in their selection of goods —hosiery valued at less than Ss lid a pair, for instance, was not touched.

In a third instance, "although thieves were forced to leave goods valued at £2000 which they had prepared to take away, they escaped with valuable stock. All these stolen goods, and the proceeds of many smaller robberies, says tlie "Melbourne Herald," have presumably found,-or are finding, their way on to the market. :They amount in value to. many thousands of pounds a year: ' '

Meanwhile, in the last ■ few years, there have come under notice in'various places traders . who cannot - be. ascertained to do extensive business with any known wholesale or manufacturing house. Such is the weakness of the law regarding invoices, however, that it is stated to be practically impossible for the-police to prove the origins of goods, whose source they have reason to be interested in,. Attention, it is said, has been directed particularly to four retailers of the smaller type in Melbourne.. ■ ' ■ .

"Large quantities of goods have been stolen and continue to be stolen^ '' ■ said a member of the trade.- • "It is obvious that they are being disposed of and one' can only ■ consider that their disposal is s. highly organised business. That is not the only trouble, however. The extent of the foreign invasion into the clothing business in'recent years is not generally realised,, nor are/the conditions under which that clothing is produced.

"How is the sudden appearance of foreign traders who come apparently from nowhere but are well supplied with capital and are able to undercut long established and highly reputable businesses, to be accounted for? In one case, at least, I believe, the police could say something about the origin of this capital. ~-...■

"Australian-manufacturers and merchants are not;worj.-iediabbut.the'?[egiti-mate:developments of iner'cliandising in the great stores and ,'factories.. But they ; are concerned :about these other developments—and' they can only bo termed/sinister. The condition of sections of the hosiery trade, for instance, is already chaotic"

Action, it is understood, is already contemplated, to urge'.upon the Federal and State .Governments the necessity for .inquiry and the possible amend-' ment of 'the law to compel the making available to the police of information which is now denied them. ■