TOBACCO VENDORS’ GRIEVANCES.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1925, Page 1

TOBACCO VENDORS’ GRIEVANCES.

SV G Git,ST ED LICENSING. WELLINGTON, July 7. At a- meeting' to-night vendors of cigarettes and tobacco complained that the business of legitimate traders was suffering seriously from the huge increase of illegal selling of cigarettes and tobacco by numerous retailers of fruit and confectionery, and by keeper, of billiard saloons, during hours "hen the tobacconists’ shops had to he closed in accordance with tlie Arbitration Court awards; and provisions of the Simps and Olliees Act. The position now practically was that shopkeepers who employed assistants were penalised bv reason of restriction of hours, while others who did not employ labour were free to take advantage oi the hours allowed by the Shops and Olliees Act, and many of these person not content witii that advantage, limited the law by sc lli tig, tobacco and cigarettes outside of the hours allowed by the (Shops and Offices -‘Vet. Resolutions were adopted urging tl’.e need of immediate action by the Government to prevent illegal trading, and expressing the opinion that this could be best infected by legislation- ] providing for the licensing of all von dors of tobacco and cigarettes at a nominal tee not. ex: cedi-tg CL per year, with discretionary power to .Magistrates to <ancel licenses on the conviction o/ licensees who persisted in illegal selling. It was explained that the tobacconists were not seeking monopolising privileges. They were merely asking for a fair basis of business, and uniformity of hours for the. selling ot

If cigarettes and tobacco. They were not asking for a restriction of the hours of 1 fruit and confectionery businesses because they stocked cigarettes and toil ' . . ~ bncco. A licensing system would faeil,i- itate tlie enforcement of the equitable s law desired, r A speaker mentioned! that when a ' deputation representing the t ibuccci!ists of eighty-seven towns hroughi a licensing proposal last year under the notice of the late I’rinte .Minister, and I the Minister of Labour, lion. G. J. Anderson. Air Alnsscv .«>aiil it seemed to him that, the tobacconists had a 1 grievance and that their request was very reasonable, and tuigbi. be granted. The lion. G. .). Anderson remarked it was possible that something might i bo done in the direction of licensing : tobacconists. Finally, the meeting rc- ' solved that as the principle involved in the tobacconists’ grievance was a general one affecting till trades, the . Association of the- Chambers of C'om- . nierco. he asked to support the tobaet conisls in their efforts to obtain greater j 1 protection for law-abiding traders. i