WEEKLY REST DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 82, 6 April 1914, Page 9

WEEKLY REST DAY.

FOeiTlOlf Or THE.TRADE. WILL TARIFFS RISE ? EFFECT AT THE POLLS. The decision of the Auckland Arbitration Court to grant hotel employees a full day's holiday in each week, in conformity with the Wellington decision, has met with strong protests from hotelkfcepers arid managers in the city. Inquiries by a "Star , representative this morning went to show that some members of the trade had gone to the length of suggesting that the rapid rise of wages fn the licensing trade, coupled *itii tlie burden that will be imposed if the additions to the staffs necessitated by the latest decision of the Court are actually made', will so badly hit the trade - that many proprietors will find it necessary to no longer oater for boarders. This line of action, however, is discounted By prominent representatives of the trade, -who point out that in' tie first place it would be illegal, and secondly, from the viewpoint oi expediency, that it would be inadvisable td drive people into competing -boardinghouses and hotels and to run the risk of provoking feeling against the trade at the polls. The manager of one of the leading Auckland hotels informed a ''Star" representative this morning that it was quite possible that many of the local hotels will get rid of their boarders. He protested against the weekly holiday, inasmuch as private hotels and boardinghouses were under no award and could employ their servants for the whole seven days. Mr C. Kalman, manager of the Central Hotel, stated that already the hotelkeepers had beeu hit by having to greatly increase wages, and the granting of the weekly holidays would mean considerably increasing the staffs. Whether or not it would be found necessary to increase the tariffs had not yet been discussed in Auckland. DANGERS GF AX INCREASE. Asked whether Mr Justice Stringer's suggested increase in tariffs was likely Ito be adopted in Auckland, a well i known representative of the trade said that the moment they attempted to increase the tariff they would give offence to still another section of the community. The ciiief difficulty was that licensees were not on the same footing as private hotels, who did not come under any award or even the Shops and Offices Act. An increase of tariffs might seem to be the logical method of adjusting the burden, but it had to be remembered what hotelkeepers were arwaye up against. They were compelled to hesitate before increasing their charges. There was no getting away from the fact that there was always the chance of encountering a retaliativo vote in connection with the licensing polls. UNIFORM ACTION. . Representatives of <the Auckland Licensed Victuallers' Association declined to express any definite opinion on the subject of the one day's rest in seven, in view of the fact that the whole matter was in a nror«- or less nebulous stage. The trade, it was stated, had not yet gone into the advisability of raising; the tariffs, and there was every probability- that uniform action will be taken throughout New Zealand. It is interesting to note, however, that when •the weekly holiday question Urst disturbed the trade in Auckland, the appended estimates of the cost of in-' creases in staffs were submitted to the association by Hie leading hotels. It should be remembered thatj : to these amounts have/ to be added an allowance for improvements in wages:—Grand Hotel. £17 5/ a week or £897 a year; Royal Hotel, £14 weekly or £728 per year: St»r Hotel, £7 12/6 per werk or £474 a year; British Hotel, £4 2/6 a week or £237 6/ a year.