HAWKERS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 308, 3 October 1929, Page 4

HAWKERS.

In view of the comment made at the conference between Matamata farmers and business men on hawkers, the following remarks by the Waikato Independent are of particular interest. Editorially the Independent writes;—“The itinerant seller comes into the distript with his bag full of goods. He sells to-day for cash,, and to-morrow he is gone and the cash with him. The district may see the seller again, but the cash does not go into circulation locally, and we receive absolutely no benefit from this class of business. Supposing the buyer does get good value and granting the convenience of purchasing at the door, the main point to consider is, is such a purchase serving the buyer’s and the community’s interests to the best advantage? When a purchase is made from a hawker the point often overlooked is that he has no responsibility or interest in the district. He pays no rent and no local taxation. He gives nothing to local interests, and. in short'*'Has' no stake in the district. The only benefit the 'district jdefives. is a few shillings for a licence, and in a great number of instances'even that'is not paid. It is surely' not difficult to visualise what would happen if this type of trading obtained a strong hold upon local commercial relations, and there is no denying the fact that the trend in this direction at the present time is serious. A country district situated as Cambridge is depends chiefly upon two elements for its continued progress. They are the continuance and expansion of its primary production, and the solidity and advancement of its commercial centre. One is dependent upon the other. With the prosperity of the primary producer the town progresses, and with the advance of the town and all its commercial services and social amenities the value of the surrounding rural lands increases. Wipe the town of Cambridge suddenly off the map, and just as quickly the value of neighbouring farm-lands would drop. Now let us place the two types of trading side by side, and f honestly review them. On the one hand we have the hawker and the canvasser selling goods to benefit some firm with all its interests in some outside He produces the goods at the door and sells for cash. No cash—no goods! On the other hand the local business man is with us all the year round. He is a fellow citizen with his stake in the town and district. He not only pays high rents and rates, and employs many people, but he is interested in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the district. He is always at our beck and call, and ever ready to help his customers over the stile when cash is not too plentiful. There is no getting away from the fact that the progress of the Cambridge district would have been much more rapid of late periods had local trading preference been more general. Whether it be to the hawker, the canvasser, or direct to the outside business centre, cash trading with these' avenues only tends to drain the country districts of their very life-blood, We would urge upon district residents to heed the advice given by Abraham Lincoln: ‘When you spend a-’ dollar in your own district you have the goods and the dollar too in the community; but when you send your dollar away you may get the goods, but the dollar is no longer with you.’ ”