THE KING'S BIRTHDAY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12946, 28 October 1907, Page 4

THE KING'S BIRTHDAY.

POeITOM* OF BJCPLOTEBe. "Are we ocHnpWwThf k &ftf*&H? the King'a BinSdfcy •*•:.• M'^l^v propunded by employera. . W «P. f view of securing a •tatewenfc which might set as a guide to ««PIWF» • representative of*Tbe «™*« Cl Mr Henry BroTahead, aeetetary .of .the Canterbury Employer* , " Aaaocwtwn, and pot t£e diffioulty before him. , Mr Broadhewl Mid that uaq«*tionably Saturday was a most unfortunate day for a> holiday a> far aa retail ehopkeepers wer« concerned, and eetty employers bad already interviewed him to ascertain whether they were obliged to observe the King's Birthday. ,; So«e« shopkeepers who are not under any award went to know whether they haTe to observe the King's Birthday. I ha?* stated several times before, and now repeat the statement, that no ahopkoeper » compelled to obeerre any of tho holidaya mentioned in the Shops and Offices Act, 1904. unless he is .working under' an eward in which the holidays axe specified. Clause. 16 of the Act make* special provision with regard to certain holidays in that it provides that when a holiday mentioned under the clause us held, it is unnecessary for the shopkeeper in the samo week to close on the day on which the usual weekly halfhohday is hold. Clause 10 provides that every shop assistant nuret bo paid tor any holiday or haJf-hoKday observed. It is only under the Factories Act tliat it is made obligatory on the pert of occupiers to give all females, and boys under io, the six holidays actually specified under the Act. ."The award! in the grocers' trade provides for the King's Birthday being observed, irith the proviso that if it falls on any other day than Show Day the holiday is to %c kept oiv Show Day m place of the King's Birthday. Show Pay this year falls on the ffrjday preceding the Kings Birthday, co the former day only will bo observed under tho award. "Under the Butchers' Award the King's Birthday is not provided for, but Show Day is made a holiday. "In regard to the drivers, it is only recently that a large number of employers were made parties to the Canterbury Drivers' Award, and it may be as well to point out that the King's Birthday is made a holiday, although the employers are allowed to substitute another day. The drivers have to be paid for all holidays,. and if they are required to-.work on holidays they have to be paid for it, at the rate of Is 3d per hour, in addition to their ordinary weekly wage. Employers will hare to allow their drivers a day in observance of the King's Birthday, or pay the extra rate mentioned. "In the skilled trades, where the King's Birthday has to be observed, the men will Iharetoi receive extra pay if required to work."