LEFT AT THE DOOR

Hokitika Guardian, 6 February 1926, Page 4

LEFT AT THE DOOR

TRADERS AY HO TERRIFY WOMEN. LONDON. Nov. 25. Every day there are fresh instances of the aiinoyami.- to which, householders are sub,idled by having articles, from dressing combs In pictures, left ai i.'mlr houses “on appro'll” by itinerant trailers.

Here is 11 list of unifies left at otic Home on tli' outskirts of Loudon in the course of n week : - Packets of inferior stationery, Blotters of inferior quality, pickets of shampoo | o"iler, patent "ns lighters, trinket baskets. table mats. kitchen utensils. Some of tlie.s were thrust through the letter box with a printed slip stating that they would he called for Inter. Others were left at the hack door with the request that they should he shown to “the mistress.” When the articles were returned to those who lntd left them there was considerable unpleasantness, one limit, although he offered no violence, thoroughly terrified the women of the home by his attitude. An official of the Charity Organisation Society yesterday said:—"Tt is

known that some of these people send to Ireland for work which they pass off as their own Sonw oven buy it in Oxford-street. Then there is the ease of the “artist.” who sends his pictures to people. He buys many of these from other artists for a few shillings and sometimes gets jibunds for pictures for which ho paid shillings.” The small articles such ns combs and stationery are bought in the East End of London or front the cheap jack stalls in various markets. It should be clearly understood tlmt householders are under no liability to provide safe custody for any articles

left at their bruises unolieitied. They are within their rights in throwing them into the street, providing by so doing they do riot cause a nuisance. Even the postal service is being used to serve their ends. A firm in the Irish Free State, where a boycott of British goods is being preached, is sending to residents in this country, quite unsolicited, registered parcels of •embroidery and laeework and enclosing an offer of two chickens valued at 10s free, if £3 worth of goods forwarded is purchased. This firm has the impudence to ask the householder to return the goods if they are not wanted, a course which necessitates a good deal of trouble. A Hampstead man sent a postcard informing the firm that they must lirnk.? their own arrangements for collecting the goods. SWINDLED AS WELL

Many people are complaining Hirst not only arc they subjected to the annoyance of having goods thrust upon them, but if. in a weak moment, they accede to the importunities of the person who comes to collect them they are swindled as well. A woman at Kensington who had a packet of stationery "left at- her bouse "as coerced into paying 2s 6d by the man who came, next day to collect it. only to find that a precisely similar packet- was one sale at a local shop for Gd. Some London firms are adding to the burdens of the householder by sending canvassers on house-to-house visits with various commodities.