AFTER-HOUR “SMOKES”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 753, 28 August 1929, Page 7

AFTER-HOUR “SMOKES”

TOBACCONISTS SEEK REDRESS PETITION TO PARLIAMENT (The SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter) PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Tues. Relief from unfair competition by other retailers is being sought from Parliament by Wellington tobacconists. Mr. E. W. Humphrey and an- ; other representative of the Tobaccon- j ists’ Association of Wellington, j sought, in a petition presented to Par- J liament today, investigation into what ; they designated unfair competition, j Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central),) introduced the petitioners, who stated that they were authorised to speak for tobacconists throughout the Dominion, and alleged that the business of the retail tobacconists was being j rapidlj' destroyed by the action of cer- ! tain other retail traders, whose busi-) ness consisted very largely of trade in j commodities other than tobacco, but J who sold tobacco and cigarettes at j prices so low as to leave the tobaccon- j ists, whose business consisted entirely of the sale of tobacco and cigarettes i and smokers’ requisites, no margin of ) profit. “We ask,” stated the petition, “that 1 the House cause the matter to be in- j vestigated with a view to amending the law so as to protect tobacconists I from the above-mentioned unfair com- i petition.” - j