GROCERS' AWARD.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17938, 5 December 1923, Page 7

GROCERS' AWARD.

CLOSING HOURS FOR ALL GROCERS' SHOPS. A provision in the grocers assistants' award just made by the Court of Arbitration, fixing the hours at which all grocers' shops must he closed, has very far-reaching effects. The following memorandum on the subject has been issued by the officer in charge of the Department of Labour in ChristchurchA new grocers assistants' and drivers' award has been filed with the Clerk of Awards, Christchurch, to operate as from the 3rd instant. It covers the North Canterbury district. The Court, in exercise of the power conferred upon section (JU of the Shops and Offices Act, has fixed the closing hours for ail grocers' shops in the city of Christchurch and within, a ten-miles radius of the city at 0.30 p.m. on four days of the week, and 8.30 p.m. on the late night and 1 p.m. on the day of the statutory half-holiday. In clause 1 or the award it is stated that ior the district referred to Saturday shall bo deemed to be the statutory half-holi-day. The effect of this clause is that all grocers' shops, whether any workers are employed therein or not, must be closed at the hours stated. Quite _a number of small shop-keepers do not employ assistants obtained exemption on to the Magistrate from the closing hours fixed by the Shops and Offices Act. The exemption thus obtained no longer holds good as the clause in the Shops and Offices Act, providing for the exemption by the magistrate, makes it clear that exemption cannot be granted to a shopkeeper to keep his shop open after the hour fixed for closing by any award of the Court of Arbitration. The duration of the award shall be until November 26tli, 1925. The operations of the award will extend to Sumner and Brighton grocers, who will be obliged to conform to the hours of closing set down. The main provisions of the award are:—

The hours of work shall be from 8.15 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on four days of the week, from 8.15 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. on one day, and from 8.15 a.m. till 1 p.m. on statutory half-holiday. In cases where shops close at 5.30 I^.m. on five days of the week, the starting time may be 8 a.m. Any time worked in excess of these hours is to be deemed overtime, to be paid for at the rate of time and a half for the first three hours, and double time thereafter.

- The minimum wages for grocers' assistants are fixed as follows: —From 15 to 16 years, 18s 6d a week; 16 to 17 years, £1 3s 6d a week; 17 to 18 years, £1 lis a week; 18 to 19 years, £2 ,; 3s 6d a week; 20 to 21 years, £3 3s 6d a week; 21 to 22 'yearj, £3 13s 6d a week; over 22 years, £4 2s 6d ■a week; over 23 years of age, with not less than, seven years' experience at the trade, £4 5s a week. The employment is to be weekly, and no reduction is to be made for the prescribed holidays. Time lost through default or sickness may be deducted from these wages. No youth under 18 years of age shall be employed in driving. Outside a radius of ten miles from the Chief Post Office, C?liristchurch, assistants may be employed as one-horse drivers, but they shall not deliver parcels recording 70lb in weight. The proportion of boys or youths shall be one youth and one junior to the first three men, one additional youth or junior for the next two, and thereafter one additional youtff or junior for every three men employed. An assistant between the ages of 15' and 20 years shall be regarded as a youth, and between the ages of 20 and 22 years as a junior.

The recognised M-didays are:—New Year's Day, January 2nd; Show Day, Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, King's Birthclay, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and the day appointed for the grocers'Tannual picnic. Should any of these days fall \ipon a Sunday, the holiday shall be observed on the Monday following. Work done on the holidays shall he paid at double-time rates. One holiday of one week on full pay shall be allowed each worker after completing each year of service. If a worker leaves after six months, _he shall be entitled to a proportionate holiday. Casuals who are not to he employed for more than one week shall be paid not less than 2s 6d an hour for a minimum of four hours.