CHINESE CHAIN SHOPS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20988, 15 December 1939, Page 12

CHINESE CHAIN SHOPS

REPORTED SYNDICATE FRUIT MONOPOLY SOUGHT WHITE TRADERS PERTURBED (By Teiegrapn.—Pvess Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. Fear of a Chinese invasion into the retail fruit business is haunting established retailers in Christchurch. Unconfirmed reports indicate that a Chinese syndicate has been formed in Auckland for the purpose of establishing a chain of 90 shops throughout New Zealand, and that Christchurch is to be the chief centre of the invasion. In Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin the Chinese already have more or less a monopoly of the retail fruit business, Christchurch being the only centre where Europeans have been able to maintain control. Resentment at the opening of three new Chinese shops was openly expressed by some retailers in one auction room this week, when it is alleged they refused to buy unless an assurance were given by the broker that further supplies of green bananas would not be given to one of these new shops. The boycott threat, it is reported, achieved its end, but officials of the Retailers’ Association state they have no knowledge of such action being taken. The fact that greater numbers of Chinese have arrived in New Zealand during the past six months than ever before is also causing European retailers considerable concern, while established Chinese retailers are also reported to be somewhat perturbed. According to the Abstract of Statistics, the arrivals in six months to the end of October exceeded departures by 410.