SALE OF GROCERIES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 8, 25 January 1937, Page 9

SALE OF GROCERIES

Afier-Hour Trading a Menace to Business POLICE RESPONSIBILITY "TJnless this avenue of illegal trading is closed ittany other of the smaller grocers will be compelled to dispense with their assistants, divide their shops, and follow the saine mode of business. This remark was passed at the New Zealand Grocers' Federation conference in Christchurch when Mr, A. Y. Thompson (Dunedin) read a paper on "Grocery Trade Menaces." The greatest menace seen by hira was' the shop which was partly for the sale of fruit and groceries and partly a dairy. He urged the federation to ask the Government to compel all shops pellingi groceries to ohserve the hours of grocers. An allegation that euhurban and country constables wink their eyes at Suuday trading was made by Mr. C. J". Forbes (Ganterburyj, when moving a remit that Sunday supervision of ehops be removed from the Police Department aud be carried out b.y the Labour Department. Sunday trading was a police offehce, Mr. Forbes eaid, and that seemed to be one of the main reasons why it could not be stopped. The remit was lost, but the federation will urge the Government to do all in its power to stop Sunday and afterhours trading. A recommendation that complaints be addressed in writing to the local police inspector was made by Mr. J. J. Jackson (Gisborne). That, he contended, was almost certain to result. in action being taken. It was useless, however, . eomplaining to a constable who was just waiting for his pension. . In Wellington, it was said, the Labour Department- officers had declared that their work was done in the week. and tbey Were not prepared to act as pimps during the week-end. The police had secured convictions in Dunedin for Sunday trading, said Mr. A. V. Thompson (Dunedin), but after-hours trading was still rife. A suggestion that complaints should be made through associations and not by individual grocers was made by Mr. J. F. Turnbull (Wellington). ■ Further support for the police cam* from Mr. E. G. Wood (Nelson), in whose centre the police had closed several dairies, he said, becaase a preponderance of their stocks cousisted of groceries. Answering arguments that such supervision would increase the weekly hours of departmental officers, Mr. Forbes declared that he was not concerned with the hours worked by anyone. As grocers, tbey were all concerned with stopping illegal trading, "We are satisfied,." he said, "that tho police are not doing the job. ' Tbe remit was lost, but Mr. Turn bull's motion that the Government be urged to take action, was carried