SATURDAY CLOSING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 321, 7 October 1908, Page 7

SATURDAY CLOSING.

1 GROCERS' ASSISTANTS WANT SHORTER f HOURS AND more pay. EMPLOYERS'- VIEWS: A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. The Wellington Grocers' Assistants' Union, has drafted certiiiri demands, which, if carried into operation, will mean a big chango in the conduct of tho trade in Wellington, and will go a long way towards bringing aboiit the universal Saturday hnlf-lioliday tliat is the dream of so many trade hour roforihers." Grocers' assistants are not so badly off as in other days; their's has been a stand-up fight for easier conditions, and the most discontented cannot say it has been unsuccessful.' But; like Aloxaudcr, they seek now worlds to conquer, and are going to try for. the Saturday afternoon and night oft', and so weld their weekly holidays together. At present, assistants work from S a.m. to 6 p.m., With an hour for dinner oh Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays; from S a.m. to 1. p.m. on Wednesdays, and from o a;m!.' to "9. p.m., Witli : two hours off., (fgr dinner and tea), on Saturday, iii all 52 hpiirs. lii their deriiands they want . this total reduced by two hours, in the following manner Work from 8 a.m. t0.6 piih; dii Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays (with an hour for dinnor), arid from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Tho : matter of wages is always, highly debatable. TllS driion is demanding £3,per .week for a jdui'heyiriari assistant, instead 6i £2 55., as at present. As tho matter of grocers' hours (riot to mention Wages) is one that most housekeepers are .concerned in—it being generally the public, that pays—a Dominion reporter: made a few 1 inquiries among tho master grocers to see how tli6 demands had beeri received. To Keop.Qpen Whatever Happens. Mr. R. Kilpatrick,- of Courtenay Place, said he could not believe that such demands coilld bo acceded , to. Saturday afternooh arid evening provided the best business time iii tlio whole week—indeed, often equal to all tho remaining days or th<? we6k put together — and to close up the big' shops that employed assistants would only mean . playiiig into . tho . hands of the smaller shopkeepers who did hot ' einplOy assistarits, and who consequently need I not necessarily close. Tlio small shops iii the.suburb's were bound to make capital out. * of . such an arrangement, which would probably mean . that Jess assistants would 'be needed in town. It was such a,valuable day to'him, however, that even .if he had to do without assistants lie would keep his shop open, and ho and his wife would attend to customers. ' ; ClvlHg Business to the CHihameri. Mr. W. Campbell, of Manners Street, also took strong .objection to the new demands of , the assistants. , r ■ I "If the shops have to close on Saturday afternoon arid evenings;" said Mr. Campbell, "it. will mean handing over tho grocery trade to the Chinamen, just tho same as tho fruit trade has .been given them. We could riot ; keep open, as wo employ assistants, but Chinameri are exempt from the award and can sill when they like. They have assistants,' but they _ don't pay them; they are, with few exceptions, working to pay off the poll-tax. Besides, tho Chinamen's- expenses , all round; are much lower than ours, and ho would soon find out Ihow.w'e were situated. ,< , 'T don't see how the Bo,ard could grarii) these deinarids, seeirig that it cuts out the • bfest business day in tbo week. On Satiirdajr afternoon aiid. evening working people have time to stroll through the town dhd inspect the windows in siicli; a riiarindr as would be impossible oil any . other day. A great amount of trade results in , that way which would never bo picked up driririg the week. The Chinaman would keep his shop open, and seciito that trade." .. In'the opihion; of imtny. people, there is a good deal iii what. Mr. Campbell savs regarding the chance it would give the Chinaman to cut into tlio grocery trade. Local tobacconists, who aro forced to close their premises' at 8 are continually complaining that tobacco, cigars, and cigarettes can be purchased at SUy Chinese shop any timo up till 11 p.m., which is grossly unfair to those who are endeavouring to reform the hours of night trading. The Opposite View: Decline of Saturday Trade. .fit will come, you'll.see," said Mr. J; M'llwraith, of Upper ."Willis Street. "Nearly everybody's a unionist nowadays, and _ tho unions, are continually agitating in the direction of getting people to Shop on any other day but Saturday is not the day for business that it was soine time .backin the city at all events. It .may be that the population is moving but rnd suburban shops might be doing.better, but the fafct remains that it is hot .the big marketing night it used tu lie; Why, many of tite grocers thought thoy were going to be ruined when - the week-day closing hour wai cut down from 8 p.m; to 6 p.m., but the trade righted itself. I was an assistant iii Christchurcb, and. can remember tho job we had to get it, brit then we had no idea of getting a weekly half-holiday—that came later/ after a big fight. ' " "Speaking personally, I would not care if tho chango ciiriie About now—l don't think it would make much difference.;... I don't think tho'Chinamen would _ get tho trade. They don't pay much attention to ( it, and I think there is a revulsion on the part of the public in buying groceries, from a Chinaman. You'll'iiotice that a. Chinese grocer never goes in, for loose stuff—loose packets of .tea, coffee, sugar, etc.; there's not enough in it, and John is too ciite; Saturday closing does riot seem to have affected the grocers on the Quay, arid I don't think it wtiuld affect us after a bit." Demands to be Resisted. ' I Mr. W. A. W. Grenfell, secretary of the Employers' Association, told a reporter that' : two conferences had been held, but they had jifoved abortive, the criiployers deciding libt to grant any .increases of salaries of altera;, tion in tlio hours of working. ,They are standing by the present award. They will not increase the present minimum wage,; but special merit is recognised and paid for. On the other hand, many men are not worth moro thari the minimum when they are taken on. Tho alteration of the hotirs is vigorously opposed, as it is considered that the employer is simply being asked to sacrifice his business to suit the wishes arid convenience of his workers. Tlio award provides that assistants over 23 years of age shall receive a minimum wage of £2 ss. per week (£3 is asked for); and that youths, from 15 to 23 years, shall receive from 10s, to £2 25.. (from 15s. to £2 10s. is asked for); In addition, tlio uhion is asking for a limitation iii the number of youths to _be employed to nrie youth to every five assistrthts, or fraction tboreof. JiJtige Cooler's Views. In giving the original award, which , cime into opetatibn on Jiine 2, 1902, his Honour Mr. Justice Cooper, then President of the Arbitration Court, made the following interesting remarks "We hdv'o been asked to classify assistants. After a careful consideration of the evidenco arid the nature .of the trade, wo have come to the conclusion that to do so would, in a very 'large number of instances, bo detrimental to both employers and employees." We havo, therefore, provided a minihium wage for assistants generally, and the rate of payment for those who may occupv positions of a. higher responsibility than that of a general assistarit wo have left to the employer and the particular employee. » "We think it insufficient for us to .say that no assistant of, or over, the ago of 23 years shall bo paid less than £2 ss. per week Merit and ability will always find their legitimate reward, and it is not in the interests of either party that, in a trado such as this is, an automatic rate of payment for those who may havo to take the more responsible positions in a grocer's shop should ho prescribed by this Court. Some reasonable latitude must bo afforded to individuality."