CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 43, 9 March 1878, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

EOujs Qon;espoftdencq : column bein& open,. «q responsibility can bq- accepted m respect fco opinions expressed by, correspondents.]

TO TfICE EplTOE*. „--■■■ I have on, mpi;Q.ttian o»e'«cca^ sion. observed a leaderi&your paper relating to trade and cr.«dit. as a tradesman,.li»ay iftakje a fW remarks, on the subject a& the ! condition of the times demands:; a special enquiry as to the why and wherefore o£ the coiv rupt trade that fa beiftg carried on, both m the way of whalesaie-aodfletail transactions. Trade m gejfcprali shou&l be above suspicion* and. tradesmen should bemoß of character ifc» whom confidence can: be placed, an<fcwhoh>sale wan-house-men should confine, thcmsclws striclly tio a legitimate whofesaJetrafle^vizi that fefsupi lying smaller houses wiihgood ai'l iclcs- at r.casona bhj. prices. But w hat will be said of a nja», who*callingbimself a wholesale warehouseman, po.«i» timely pays men to -Retail- his goods at ■»tbjol.csale.;pi:i;ces and publicly advertises

that he is doing so, and yet, m the face of all that expects to get orders from ! respectable storekeepers. Peddling is legitimate and fair, and I hjtve no objection to it provided the peddler pays his peddler's license. But m Foxton a certain storekeeper exhibits the class of trading that I have tried to desbribe. I have read a book called " Lost Israel Found" by Hine, with various "Identifications." . Perhaps if the writer had lived m Fojston he would have discovered another identification of lost Israel, It is only fair however to say that the author distinguishes between a Jew and an Israelite and plainly shows that their treatment by the rest of the world is to be of a vprv different character. But would not this learned man have been pu^dedto find a proper mode of treatment for such a ease as I have cited, which according to the signs of the times, may any day spread to Palmerston, Feilding, Bull-town or elsewhere. The vendor I have referred to, if suooessful m Foxton, may any day try the s&trte experiment at other townships. The failures of small, tradesmen greet the eye m almost every newspaper you read, caused by los.s, dishonesty or unwise or over trading. These oauses are In all conscience Bad enough without adding over causes to them and virtually destroying that time honored and proper system of trade which marks the respectable and honest merchant, vi^., that of keeping to his legitimate wholesale trade. But where is the remedy for all this? Hove, can it be stopped ? Will a customer give Is for an article that he can getfor-lOd? On the pantrary he will leave his account unpaid at thp store where he got credit , and assistance m his time of need, and leave his cash with the tenpenny man. iOf eour&e this is not right :. he should stick to the man who helped him when ; he could not help, himself, but human . nature m its ordinary phases i&not very high toned. Perhaps ycyj.^ay why do not other- storekeepers compete and sell 'at the same prices ? j . Why* because i;t is impossible, A man who has to purchase bis goods from Wellington , merchants* who m turn import from the laest English markets, cannot compete profitably with the same men. The oafy thing that can he done is for ! all respectable storekeepers to shun them* as .sneaks, and when their representatives come foy- orders, treat thpm witbrtha cottteinpt they deserve> for this system of retailing at wholesale prices is alike damaging to all warehousemen—both wholesale and retail. I In the long run it will ruin storekeepers who m turn will wiin merchants,, and so j-the system will bring its own reward. Even the -person I have referred to will yet be made to- see* if not to feol, his own 1 folly for what he may gain by his retail I cash trade, lie will more than forfcifrin the witholding of orders by respectable j tradespeople.— l am,. &?>,,. ! Foxtqn.