Confrontation looms over moves on Saturday shopping

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33655, 3 October 1974, Page 1

Confrontation looms over moves on Saturday shopping

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 2. A full-scale confrontation is threatened between the Shop Assistants’ Union and retailers over moves to introduce Saturday shopping. This is likely if shopkeepers at Richmond, near Nelson, proceed with plans to apply to the Shops and Offices Exemptions Tribunal for permission to open on Saturdays.

The secretary of the Wellington Shop Employees’ Union (Mr D. G. Kelly) said today that 40,000 shop workers throughout New Zealand were gravely concerned about the Richmond move, and would oppose Saturday trading because of fear of serious erosion of their family life and recreation.

Mr Kelly said that if the retailers proceeded with their proposal, they might have neither staff nor anything to sell.

Saturday shopping, he said, would also involve workers outside his union, including drivers, storemen and packers, and others in the distribution industry. The Federation of Labour also had a strong policy opposing Saturday shopping. Mr Kelly alleged that Richmond retailers had been subjecting the people of Nelson to propaganda "calculated to earn a quick buck.” Shop employees were being faced with a slow erosion of their conditions. In Auckland, some pet shops were openly flouting the law by trading on Saturdays, and

at Waikanae, near Wellington, shopkeepers had recently obtained approval to open on Anzac Day.

The most recent survey on ■ Saturday shopping con-! ducted for the distribution council of the National Development Conference by the . National Research Bureau' had shown that 63 per cent opposed Saturday shopping and that 23 per cent, mostly in the 18 to 24 age-group, favoured it. Mr P. J. Clegg, secretary of Webby Developments Ltd, Lower Hutt, who is also secretary of the Richmond Mall, said that in a period of three days, 2000 people in Nelson, Richmond, and surrounding districts had signed a petition for Saturday shopping. Questionnaires As a follow-up, about 18,000 questionnaires had been sent out last week. An assessment of the result was expected early next week. “If the majority favour Saturday shopping, then individual retailers will make their application to the tribunal,” Mr Clegg said. There had been a guarantee that there would be no discrimination against persons who did not want to work on Saturdays—“but most are happy to proceed to earn the overtime," Mr Clegg said. “This is a move which will spread through the country,” he said. “New Zealanders have graduated to civilised drinking hours, and they should also graduate to civilised shopping.” About half the Richmond work force commuted to Nelson for employment, leaving on Friday evenings for shopping with their families. Mr Clegg said he did not agree with a contention by Mr Kelly that it was “rubbish” for the Richmond re--1 tailers’ promotion material ■ to claim that Saturday shop--1 ping would enable families to ! carry out their activities to- ‘ gether and to meet their neighbours. 1 Decision next week > 1 "This is exactly what it 1 will do," Mr Clegg said. “It 1 will also reduce juvenile delinquency. Experience 1 shows that Saturday shop- ■ ping reduces shop-lifting by ! children." The decision by Richmond ! retailers about applying for ! permission to open on Satur- ; days is expected by the . middle of next week.