THE SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11014, 11 July 1901, Page 3

THE SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL.

A CHRISTCHURCH PROTEST. A largely-attended meeting of Christ, church wholesale warehouse, employee., ■"fleeted by certain clauses in the Shops' ;... Offices Bui, lately introduced in Parliament was held in Miss E. Hurt's office. Hereto d street, last night, Mr G. ,J. {smith Avas voted- lo (ho chair, and explained tliat lie had attended by special request, and expr.s.ii his desire'to do anything he could lor the meeting. The conditions between employers and employees in (lie wholesale trade iii'ciir-stchureit were pleasant and amiable, an,. 1 it was felt that interference, which might even act to employees' detriment, inst.a, 2of good, aa-.ln totally unnecessary. Speaking personally, it A.-_ 8 a novel experienc. for him to take* any part in opposing a Labour Bill, but the measure they were dealing ivitli a. as one Avhich instanwd how far a Labour Bill might go in a Anting direction. It avks for this reason tho meeting had been called, to protest, as other centres had done.

Mr P. Davidson sain! all present Avould agree Avitli him that in Christchurch, at any rate, ths AvhoLsale employees were being fairly and squarely treated in eA-ery Avay, and such interference a.s tlie Bill proposed Avas not in their interests, and av,i-_ quite unnecessary. Mr Davidson then read the clausein the Bill objected to. providing that AvhoJesale warehouses should be c!o..d at not latei than one o'clock on Saturdays, and six o'clock in the afternoon on every othei Avorking _:«*, and providing that overtime must be paid at half as much again as the ordinary rate, or not less than one shilling per hour. If it Avas necessary lor employees to return occasionally at night they did no_ niind, he .said, doing so, as they Avere well treated in other Ava vs.

Mr Woudrough considered that a measure such as they were discussing Avould only tend to bring about friction betAveen employers and employees, and they Avould do Avell to do Avhat they could to stop the passage of tha Bill.

Mr Shaw said matters Avere going very happily now, and it Avas regrettable that anything should be done to upset it.

Mr Baker endorsed the pievious speaker's remarks. He added that if they did a littlo overtime, they did not mind it. because they made up for this in the slack time.

Mr Collins, Avhile agreeing as far as wai.housemen were concerned. ..aid they ought not to do anything against those portions ol the Bill which Aye.re in the interests of bank cleik.s and others.

It Avas pointed out that the meeting only proposed to protest against the clauses affecting warehousemen. The Chairman said there avhs another point: it ay:. possible, under the Act, if passed, to close on Thur. .lay afternoon instead of Saturday. They did not want to lose their Saturday holiday.

Mr Davids n read a telegram from Mr ('. Squiirill. of Clarke's. Limited. Auckland, to tho effect that at n. large representative meeting of avhole sale warehouse employees, held on Tuesday night, it. Avas unanimously resolved to petition ths Government to eliminate ail clauses referring to all warehouse employees in the Shops and Offices Bill. As flic mutter was urgent, co-operation • from Christchurch Avas asked.

It avus tlwn resolved, on Mr Davidson's motion---"That this meeting unanimously resolves to petition Government to eliminate all clauses referring to all a. a rehouse employees in the Shops and Offices Bill, on the ground that th?ir inclusion will tend to extend 'tha hours of labour, and disturb tlie present harmonious feeling existing bet.Aveeit employer and employee;*' (2) "That _ Committee" be formed to carry into effect the above resolution, and that the chairman ba requested to forward the resolution to the Premier. Mini, ter in charge of the Bill, and the members for the Canterbury district."