SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL.

Grey River Argus, 24 November 1910, Page 1

SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL.

AMENDMENTS

WELLINGTON, Nov 22

In the House of Representatives yesterday, the Hon J.. A. Millar moved the committal of the Shops and Offices Bill, which specifies the hours ~of labour to be worked by assistants in hoieb and restaurants; also for night watchers and porters.

Mr A. L. Herdman said that the Arbitration Court ought to fix the conditions of labour in awards. The bill was a harassing and irritating one. " .

Mr F.M.B. Fisher -referred to the tobacco trade and the desire of tobacconists that some restricions ought to be placed on Chinamen and others selling tobacco. The Labor- 1 Department was powerless to deal with. Chinamen, who were allowed to keep icheir shops open after 8 p.m, when European tobacconists had to close.

Mr Pooje advocated restrictive measures on Chinese traders. Mr D. McLaren, in replying ;co Mr

Herdman, .said that the industrial legislation complained of by ( the latter had been adopted by many countries and for good reasons. Surely it was necessary to pass legislation to provide againt female employees working excessive hours. •

Mr .W. Fraser balieved that the House would do well to place the Bill (which was a compromise) on ;the statute book in the interests of industrial peace. '

.-•Mr"MiHar -said-that-"the Bill •hadbeen standing over since last year. In every . State of Australia ;the hours of hotel employees had been fixed and the hours were lower than those proved in .the Bill. It was too late in the I day for Mr Herdman to. say that, such j matters should be dealt with by ;ihe Arbitration Court. The will of Parliamen should be paramount. The Arbitration Court should have no power to override the statute law. He proposed to add new clause providing that any person employed in a shop other than an occupier and his wife should be deemed an assistant. This would have the effect of doing away ,| with the unfair competition of shopkeepers who did riot"employ labor and kept open beyond 8 o'clock. The Bill was committed.