SHOP HOURS AT NEW BRIGHTON

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27753, 2 September 1955, Page 12

SHOP HOURS AT NEW BRIGHTON

Saturday Trading AWARD PROVISIONS ON WAGES (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, September 1. Saturday trading- by shops at New Brighton loomed so large in early stages of the debate on the Shops and Offices Bill in the House of Representatives this evening that the assumption might well have been made that the bill was a local one concerning New Brighton, and not a measure of national importance. The Minister of Labour (Mr W. Sullivan) and Miss M. *B. Howard (Opposition, Sydenham), who opened the Opposition’s case, clashed over the Saturday opening of shops at New Brighton. The present law allowed a Magistrate to alter the day for closing, said the Minister. The bill had now been amended to make it quite clear that, when an exemption was granted, the award provisions would apply.

Because of a Magistrate’s decision that a shop granted exemption from closing on Saturday had to close on another day for the half-holiday, shop assistants were not entitled to overtime rates for Saturday work, although their award might lay such payment down, said Mr Sullivan. That presented a problem the Government tried to get over. “The amendment now provides that any interested party may make application to the Court of Arbitration to have special provision included in any award to include penal rates for Saturday work,” said Mr Sullivan. “As this bill does not come into operation until February, 1956, there is ample time to get the matter resolved in the interests of both employer and employee. “Exemptions will Continue”

“All existing Magisterial exemptions will continue, and they are protected under this bill. There is no need for those shopkeepers who now have that privilege or exemption, if you call it that, to apply. The interested parties, whether on the employers’ or the employees’ side, will be pleased with the amendment.”

Saturday trading now existed in places like New Brighton, and he was sure, said the Minister, that the members of the Christchurch City Coun-cil-three of them were members of the House and happened to be on the Opposition side—would be grateful, no matter what was. the criticism of him as Minister of Labour, for getting them out of a “sticky spot.” At one time local authorities had the power to grant exemption for opening on one day and closing on another, said the Minister. The bill removed that power, and the exemption was now to be granted by a Magistrate, not by a local authority. In February, 1955, the City Council fixed Wednesday as the half-day holiday for New Brighton, thus permitting Saturday opening of shops, said Mr Sullivan. The circumstances were most unusual. He was told that New Brighton was once a seaside resort, but now it was a thriving business centre.

Miss Howard: The sea is still there. Mr Sullivan: Cr. Baldwin of the City Council . . . Mr R. G. Gerard (Government, Ashburton): The public sacked him. Cr. Baldwin had said that business at New Brighton was good and thriving, said Mr Sullivan. There was a good deal of talk at the meeting about the five-day, 40-hour week, and some councillors said the Government wanted to change it. Voting by City Council “Let us see how the council decided the question when it was on the council’s plate.” said Mr Sullivan. The Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane) had said that, if the council voted for Saturday closing, the people could approach a sympathetic Minister, but councillors would be justified in voting for the status quof He wondered whether the Mayor was concerned about the sympathetic Minister. The Mayor was on a “hot spot” at the time.

The City Council voted in favour of Saturday opening and Wednesday closing by eight votes to seven, said the Minister. “So the Labour City Council was prepared, in the interests of the people of New Brighton and others, to vote against a five-day week,” said Mr Sullivan. Mr Gerard: How did Cr. Mathison vote?

Mr J. Mathison (Opposition, Avon): He voted. There is still a five-day week. Both Miss Howard and Mr Mathison had voted for Saturday opening and Wednesday closing, said the Minister. Both were on a “hot spot.” Mr Speaker’s bell rang, indicating that the Minister had only five minutes of his half-hour left. Miss Howard rose and had difficulty in calling the attention of the actingSpeaker (Mr C. G. E. Harker). “Order,” she called. She was not heard.

“Order, order.” Miss Howard called until Mr Harker’s eye was caught. “I would move that the Hon. Minister’s time be extended,” said Miss Howard, amid laughter. Thanking Miss Howard, Mr Sullivan said the day of chivalry was not yet over. Probably Miss Howard recognised that what he was saying was correct, and she wanted to hear more. The Labour City Council was on a “hot spot,” and broke with the principle of the five-day week, he said. It just went to show that the council must have realised that the services were essential. If the five-day week was so sacred, why did the council vote as it had done. Mr J. B. Kent (Opposition, Westland) : It was still a five-day week. The Minister: There is no five-day week for me. “The 40-hour week is still maintained in New Brighton,” said Miss Howard early in her opening of the Opposition’s case. “We did not vote against any 40-hour week. We were keeping a promise that was made.”