CHARTERED CLUBS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 45, 22 August 1938, Page 10

CHARTERED CLUBS

EFFECT OF AWARD

MANY MAY CLOSE

EMPLOYERS' ASSERTION

The contention that if the proposals of the workers for an award governing chartered clubs were given effect to in their entirety, a crushing blow v/ould be struck at the club life of the men of New Zealand, was advanced in the Conciliation Council today by Mr. W. J. Mountjoy, advocate for the employers in the dispute.

For instance, said Mr. Mountjoy, one of the principal clubs in Auckland had shown a loss, over the past seven years, of £494, and the management stated definitely that they could not carry on under the union's conditions.

Mr. Mountj oy said that two small Wellington clubs had lost £231 and £40 respectively, and a small Wanganui club with only three employees had lost £76' during the past year. Neither of the two Wellington clubs could carry on under the proposed conditions and the Wanganui club would be* faced with an additional expenditure of £511 per annum. Another small club in the Taranaki district would be forced to increase its subscription collections by £450 to £500 a year, while a similar club in Napier would be faced with an increased expenditure of £560 a year. A club at Hastings would be affected to the extent of £1385- a year, and a club at Nelson, which had incurred a loss of £156 over the past*three years, would find its costs increased by £403 a year. A South Canterbury club, which had had a loss of £ 127 last year, would have to close if the union's claims were enforced. CONGENIAL EMPLOYMENT. "There are many more clubs that could be quoted," said Mr. Mount joy, "but those mentioned should serve to show that more harm than good would result from placing upon those institutions terms and conditions of employment which are unnecessary. At j the present time, there is no difficulty i in obtaining staff to work in chartered clubs, which proves that the conditions are congenial and sought after. The industry, if it might be called such, said Mr. Mountjoy, was peculiar and different from others, as none of the clubs was established for or An business for pecuniary gain. "They merely form a link in the social life of the community. It is also submitted that it is not in the interests of the men of this Dominion that their means of decent and respectable enjoyment should be-made difficult or placed beyond their reach by unnecessarily increasing the costs so as to make membership impossible. Finally, if conditions of employment are made so difficult that clubs are compelled to close down, the effect would be that many workers would be thrown out of employment in which they are quite happy. It is' therefore suggested 'that if the union is desirous of covering chartered clubs by an award, they should realise that the best award that can be made is one that will suit the industry and not unnecessarily retard or restrict its progress." EMPLOYERS' CONCESSIONS. In conclusion, Mr. Mountjoy contended that the employers, by their proposals in the present dispute, had set out to give the workers greater privileges and benefits than they had hitherto received. It was claimed, by a large number of the clubs in New Zealand, that the offer made by the employers was really too generous, but it was hoped that the representatives of the union would realise the position of chartered clubs and show a desire to assist by arriving at a reasonable agreement that would suit all parties. PROMISE ALLEGEDLY BROKEN. "I would be impressed by that statement, Mr. Mountjoy, but for the fact that I am thoroughly familiar with this dispute," said Mr. F. G. Young, advocate for the workers, replying to Mr. Mountjoy's observations. "We have come here, also, in a spirit of conciliation, and I hate very much to throw a spanner in the works. We^ must, however, face the cold facts, and they are that twenty years ago chartered clubs were exempted from the awards by legislation which was carried with a majority of one vote. They gave an undertaking, then, to play the game, but I am here to say that they have abused it in every shape and form."

Continuing, Mr. Young asserted that one club in Dunedin which had enjoyed the patronage of Royalty was at present paying its head waiter £2 10s a week, during which the man in question worked 73J hours. Some of the hours in this club, he alleged, were as much as 80 a week, and in several instances employees were receiving very low wages. "It is no use putting across a sob | story for the clubs. Some of them have got themselves into a lot, of trouble because they have introduced class distinctions," said Mr. Young. "Clubs like working men's clubs thai are democratic are making money hand over fist. If you want exclusiveness, you must pay for it, but, apparently, some of the gentlemen in New Zealand who want to be exclusive are not prepared to pay for the privilege." Mr. Young said that he had written to the secretaries of six Auckland clubs in a most conciliatory spirit, but had been given no satisfaction. Nevertheless, the workers were just as anxious as the employers for an agreement and would do their best to bring it about. He thought that in a few years the chartered clubs would be grateful for an award, for it would mean that, with improved conditions, they would be able to get better staffs.