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Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3772, 29 January 1881, Page 2

The Borough Council at their last meeting found some difficulty in distinguishing between a " pedlar " and a " hawker," and were considerably at a loss to understand the meaning of either. It will be remembered that Mr Dean sent a letter to the Council, complaining of the action of a certain gentleman who was in the habit of hawking fruit without a license. We very much question if there is any Act that will compel a man to take out a hawker's license to sell fruit or produce raised on his own ground. In England the rule is as follows : — Hawkers or Pedlars or Petty Chapman are persons who go from town to town, or door to door, selling goods, wares, or merchandise, or exercising their skill in handicraft. A considerable change has been made in the legislation relating to the matter. The foot pedlars are placed under the surveillance of the police, and are exempt from excise duty. Since January Ist, 1872, any persiH whatever who can satisfy the chief of police of the police district in which he resides that he is of good character, is above seventeen years of age, and has resided during the previous month in the district, will receive, on due application, a certificate valid for a year, on payment of five shillings. The police have power to open their packs at any time,, to prevent smuggling and dishonesty. The class of pedlars who use one or more beasts of burden are classed under a different category. They have to pay a license of £4 for every beast of burden used in the trade. He may not traffic in spirits, but may sell tea and coffee. Any person hawking without a license is liable to the most severe penalties. Commercial travellers, book agents, and sellers of vegetables, fruit, fish, or victuals, do not require a license or certificate (34 and 35 Vicfc. C, 96 ; .29 and 30 Viet. C, 64). The reasou why the State imposes this tax on hawkers is that they have a great advantage over regular shopkeepers, as they pay no rent and often interfere with (he natural course of dealing at shops. The law in regard to the matter in New Zealand and in the Thames Borough is as follows :—According to the 17th clause of the 349 th section of the Municipal Corporations Act (40 Victorias) ". It shall be lawful— (a) To provide for the licensing of pedlars and hawkers, and for the registration of such licenses and define to what persons such regulations apply, and to fix the sums payable to the Borough Fund for such licenses. (h) To prohibit any persons front trading as pedlars or hawkers, not being so licensed, (c) To regulate the conduct, and provide against the misconduct of such licensed persons." In accordance with this provision of the Act the Thames Borough Council framed the following bye-law bearing on the case in point :—■" (89) If any person trading as or carries on business within any Borough to which this sub-division- shall apply as a pedlar or hawker without having first obtained a license, he shall forfeit and pay on conviction for every such offence any sum not exceeding five pounds (£5), and every person trading or carrying on such business as aforesaid within any such Borough shall be deemed and taken to be

unlicensed unless he shall prove to the contrary by the production of his license or otherwise." The result of- the Committee appointed mto inquire into the whole question of hawkers' licenses will be looked forward to with interest.