SHOP IN ROTORUA

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 33, 1 October 1931, Page 2

SHOP IN ROTORUA

i , To those people who get their living in Rotorua or own property in Rotorua, it should be perfectly obvious that Rotorua 11 u ^ace wilere their money should be spent. Unfortunately, I there are many Rotorua residents who are satisfied to get their wages from Rotorua and spend them in Auckland or some other piace. If these^ people were to eonsider the facts for a minute, tliey would realise that if everyone followed their example, and spent money earned in this centre, in some other town, there would soon be no money earned here and therefore no Rotorua. In addition to the over-large volume of trading that goes out of tnis town to Auckland and other centres, this town appears to be a happy huncing ground for itmerant travellers, glorified hawk ers, and other inconsequential fljr-by-nights who bring no lasting i benefit to the town and take a lot of money out of it which should go towards paying the rents and wages of Rotorua businesses and creating more industry and prosperity here. The law controlling individuals of this nati-re should be tightened and enforced. The matter has been mooted at Borough Council meetings on one or two occasions, but very little appears to have been done about it. The regulations should be so revised that every canvasser who attempts to do business which is already catered

ior by locai shops and trades-pecple should be forced to pay some substantial fee in lieu of the present totally inadequate hawker's license. Also every person who opens a shop here should be made to enter into a bond which would be forfeit if the shop did not remain open for a stated period. For their part the Rotorua j shops must watch carefully the standard of the goods they offer j and the prices asked. These should never be more than j Auckland prices plus freight and haulage costs. We believe that a scrutiny of the Rotorua shops will reveal that they clo this at j present, and little fault can be found with the prices asked for i locaily. Rotorua has not yet attained a size wThich permits all | ot its shops to offer the same variety which is to be found in the large centres, but for all ordinary requirements, there can ! ue very little excuse for residents going past their own town. i Ihe prineiple of reciprocity is one of the most important in ! trade, but it unfortunately is very often forgotten. So long as .Rotorua retailers offer a reasonable selection of goods at a compecitive price and with proper service, they are entitled to the support of townspeople. There is an obligation upon shopkeej)ers to give service and value, but there is equally an obligation upon the people of the town and district to recognise that value and service when it is given. The quickest way in which to assist individual prosperity in Rotorua is for every individual drawing a living from either the town or district, to do his best to promote its progress not only by lip service, but by doing business in the town which supports him. Other centres owe nothing to Rotorua and money spent out of the town in the majority of cases, will not return.