GROCERS’ SHOPS AT BRIGHTON

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25080, 11 January 1947, Page 2

GROCERS’ SHOPS AT BRIGHTON

ORDER TO CLOSE TO-DAY INTENTION TO REMAIN OPEN EXPRESSED After an inspector of the Labour Department had visited them yesterday, and informed them that they would hi ve to close their shops ,o-day, in compliance with the provisions of the new Dominion award for grocers* assistants, the grocers of New Brighton decided to keep their shops open for business to-day, as usual. The new award provides for a 40hour, five-day week for grocers’ assistants, with no work on Saturdays. It came into operation last Monday. New Brighton, as a seaside town, has always had exemption from the provisions of Saturday closing. When the amalgamation with the city took place, special provision was made by the Legislature exempting New Brighton, as part of the city, from the provision for the holiday on Saturdays Grocers in New Brighton observed their regular closing day on Wednesday this week. Mr A. E. Kincaid, president of the Canterbury Master Grocers’ Association, when asked last evening to comment on the position, said that the Labour Department was undoubtedly correct. The relevant clause of the rward definitely stated that no shop would be permitted to be open on Sat-, urdays, and no exemptions were made in the award, which stated that on four days of the week shops would close at 5.30 p.m. and on one day at 8.30 p.m., no shop to open on Saturdays. The officer in charge of the Labour Department in Christchurch. Mr S. E. McGregor, from whom comment was also sought, was away from the. city.