SATURDAY TRADING

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29262, 21 July 1960, Page 15

SATURDAY TRADING

Support For New Brighton Support for the retention of Saturday shopping at New Brighton will be given to the New Brighton Business Association by the Canterbury Progress League. This was decided at a meeting of the league’s council after Mr F; J. Gracie, a delegate from the association, had put the case for Saturday shopping. “The matter has settled down to a straight-out fight between the Federation of Labour and the people of New Zealand,” said Mr Gracie.

“The Federation of Labour opposes Saturday shopping in New Brighton because it thinks we are working more than .40 hours a week,” said Mr Gracie. “This accusation is quite wrong. By closing all day Wednesday the 40-hour week is observed. It :is the policy of the Federation of Labour to oppose any hours other than Monday to Friday. “How would the public get on if essential services such as transport and catering were closed at the week-end?” said Mr Gracie. “We feel that it is just as important for a woman to be able to obtain a bottle of sauce as it is for a man to be able to get a glass of beer on Saturday. “I consider that the practice of Saturday trading will become general throughout New Zealand in centres similar to New Brighton,” said Mr Gracie.. Mr C. A. Inch, the president, said that overseas there were no restrictions on week-end trade such as those in New Zealand. “A great many people in Christchurch could not do essential shopping during normal hours and found, the services provided invaluable. To close New Brighton would be a shocking tragedy for them.”