Saturday coiffure

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33665, 15 October 1974, Page 3

Saturday coiffure

(AZ. Press Association) ■ WELLINGTON, Oct IL The Industrial Court has ruled in favour of ! the defendant in a test case relating to work : done in women's hairdressing salons on a Saturday morning. ■ The Wellington Shop. (Assistants’ Union had sought! ($2OO from Linda Kaye Boutique. Lower Hutt, as a pen-! alty for a breach of the New, Zealand (except North Auck- j land) ladies’ hairdressers award. The award says that the occupier of any shop may open for not more than four hours before 1 p.m. on Sati urday.s to do hairdressing 1 for weddings, balls, and similar special occasions Which cannot be conveniently ser-

ivrced during normal working hours. In his decision, Judge R. D. Jamieson said the three ; words “.similar special occaqsion” were extremely difficult to construe. The standard of the occasion itself must be looked at first, he said. It was not in-! tended to cover a gathering: of friends or neighbours in a private house. i( “It is plain that it must! /also be of such a kind that a( ■reasonable woman might; ■ justifiably feel that it was! 'mot convenient to have her; • hair done on a Friday or i earlier,” Judge Jamieson said. ■ “As mere males we incline ■ to the view that much • would depend on this point, • on the nature of the hairdo, ; and on the particular hair ■ concerned.” The words in the award ■ proved to be difficult to|

; interpret and apply. “The award will no doubt be due for renewal before ; long, and we suggest that attention be paid then to his

particular sub-clause, and an effort made to substitute a clearer form of wording for that now appearing,” he said. The Court ruled in favour of the defendant, and the question of costs was ireserved.