PETITION AGAINST CHAIN STORES

Evening Star, Issue 22453, 25 September 1936, Page 14

PETITION AGAINST CHAIN STORES

PROMOTOR WON'T APPEAR FURTHER SIGNATORIES ALLEGEDLY THREATENED [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, September 24. Before the Parliamentary Committee inquiring into the question of the chain stores adjourned Mr A. 1). Wylie, promoter of the petition against chain stores, said that if he were not called upon to attend he did not propose to appear at any further meeting of the committee. One of the largest firms in Wellington that signed the petition had been approached and threatened with victimisation. Mr Watson: Will you give us the name ? Mr Wylie: I will give the names to the committee. Mr Wylie contended that an organised effort was being made to fight the petition. The Chairman said the committee was quite impartial, and the inquiry had reached a stage where the committee desired evidence. He asked Mr Wylie if he could call representatives of the various trades concerned. .Mr Wylie replied that-the traders he had approached to give, evidence had been afraid of victimisation. He definitely would not call any evidence in the meantime. Answering a question by Mr Robertson whether Mr Wylie was withdrawing from the proceedings altogether. _ Mr Wylie said he had prepared the petition and presented it to Parliament. He had given evidence in support of it, and he felt he was not getting justice from the Press'reports. The Chairman said that if Mr Wylie had any objections to the reporters being present he should have.raised them when the inquiry started. The inquiry was adjourned till Wednesday. "