Main Shops To Stay Open

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31247, 20 December 1966, Page 1

Main Shops To Stay Open

Most of the main shops in Christchurch would remain open for late night shopping till 9 p.m. today, and 9 p.m. on Friday, said the secretary of the Canterbury - Westland Retailers’ Association (Mr N. M. West).

Shops could remain open till 10 p.m. on Friday night if they wanted to, he said, but he thought most would close at 9 p.m. Last year some stores tried 10 p.m. closing on Christmas Eve but the public did not want it “I don’t think many

will close at 10 p.m. this year,” be said.

To cater for the two late shopping nights this week bus services bad been augumented to enable the public to make the best possible use of the extra late night, be said.

Parking buildings were all being kept open for the convenience of shoppers. A number of shops were offering free parking facilities. Experience in other cities of New Zealand had shown that the second late shopping night in Christmas week was worth while, said Mr West. Auckland had done this for four years, Invercargill for three, and Dunedin, which had the second late night for the

{first time last year, would repeat it this year. Christchurch and Wellington this year would be having a second late night for the first time.

The Department of Labour had had hundreds of inquiries and telephone calls, said the District Superintendent of the department (Cr C. D. Macan) yesterday.

The inquiries were about payments for statutory holidays, annual holidays and payment for working two late nights. Mr Macan said that there was no general answer to these questions. The Department would be willing to provide the information on par-

ticular awards on request. Mr Macan said that many inquiries were about Christmas Day being on a Sunday, and the holiday being transferred to the Monday. Mr West said the Shop Assistants' Award would provide the general pattern where workers were engaged on two late nights this week. Under this award, additional work done today would be at overtime rates. Friday would be a normal working day.

Shops would be closed on both the Monday and Tuesday after Christmas and New Year’s Days. New Brighton would remain open till 9 p.m. for late night shopping on Saturday night.