SHOPPING HOURS BILL

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27675, 3 June 1955, Page 12

SHOPPING HOURS BILL

Threat To Saturday Trading Seen CONCERN IN NEW BRIGHTON The New Brighton District Business Association is concerned about some provisions of the Shops and Offices Bill, "particularly those which take away the democratic right of the people of New Brighton to decide the statutory closing day by poll and give the decision to the Court of Arbitration.” This statement was made yesterday by the president of the association (Mr J. W. Hulme). “The association will do everything within its power to preserve the rights of the people and to give them the service to which they and holidaymakers in the district are entitled,” he said. Legal advice had been obtained and arrangements had been made to give evidence before the parliamentary committee now sitting in Wellington. A circular sent out to members of the association and bearing Mr Hulme’s name, says that the quarterly meeting of the association held last Thursday decided to impose a levy of £3 on all retail members and to ask all other members and non-members in retail business in the New Brighton district to contribute a like amount.

"The purpose of the levy is to provide funds to fight the threat to Saturday trading in New Brighton contained in the new Shops and Offices Act,” the circular says.

"Our patron, Mr J. Mathison. M.P., assured the meeting that some of the clauses of the act threaten our right 4o open on Saturdays, particularly those that take away the right of the City Council to recommend and the Minister of Labour to decide the statutory closing day and give that right to the Court of Arbitration; and above all that which takes away the right of the people of the district to decide the issue by poll.” An action committee comprising Messrs J. L. Boyd. F. J. Gracie. A. S. Hollander, A. N. Stone, and W. A. Nelmes, with the secretary (Mr T. F. S. Rudd) and Mr. Hulme as ex officio members, has been elected, the circular says. The association’s solicitor had been requested to report urgently on the bill and. subject to this report, the committee would then arrange for representations to be made to the Labour Bills Committee.

“If this bill is enacted in its present form the whole business community and every resident and property owner in New Brighton will be affected to some degree. I do not hesitate to predict that for some it will spell ruin. I cannot stress too strongly that it is vital in your interest that you hand your levy or donation immediately to our treasurer, Mr R. Y. Baillie.

“At this stage it is not possible to give an estimate of the likely costs of the necessary action—mention was made of £soo—but I ask you all to consider the cost to you of your inaction, and then make sure that your action committee has funds in hand by May 30,’’ the circular concludes.

After a discussion of the bi’l the council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce decided last evening not to make any representations to Associated Chambers of Commerce.