AUCKLAND GROCERS URGED TO OPEN ON MONDAY

Grey River Argus, 23 April 1948, Page 4

AUCKLAND GROCERS URGED TO OPEN ON MONDAY

AUCKLAND, April 22.

The award covering chain grocery stores in the northern industrial district, and the award covering all grocery stores other than those in the northern industrial district prescribe that Anzac Day is a holiday, and when it falls on a Sunday, the day following shall be observed as a holiday. The award covering grocery stores other than chain stores for the northern industrial district does not define Anzac Day as a holiday. Therefore private-ly-owned grocery stores in the Auckland province are the only grocery establishments in New Zealand entitled to remain open on Monday next.

This official statement was released by Mr A. A. Kelly, president of the New Zealand Master Grocers’ Federation.

He said that in view of the anomaly the Federation "is not. prepared to acquiesce in the prostitution of Anzac Dai r to one of holiday-making and therefore recommends all grocery stores to remain open on Monday next”. MINISTER'S POWER LIMITED “The Minister of Labour has no power to over-ride the decisions of the Court of Arbitration, as expressed ' in its awards”. This reply was telegraphed to-dav by Mr McLagan to the executive of the New Plymouth Returned Services Association, which had asked the Minister to waive those sections of awards providing for the observance of a holiday on a Monday when Anzac Day falls on a Sunday. “This executive is convinced that the rank and file of the workers concerned do not want Anzac Day as a holiday, and considers the relevant, awards should be revised without altering the number of statutory holidays”. This resolution was passed a meeting of the executive of the Invercargill R.S.A. last night when members discussed the situation arising out of the Grocers’ and Metal Trades Assistants’ Awards concerning the Anzac Day holiday. The resolution is to be forwarded to the Dominion headquarters of the R.S.A.

Southland Grocers

Close* on Monday

P.A. INVERCARGILL, April 22. Grocers’ shops in Southland will be clofeed on Monday. "In accordance with the Act, we cannot alter the dav by mutual agreement, as has been suggested in Wellington”, said Mr A. G. Campbell, president of the Master Grocers’ Association. “Any shops that open on Monday will be definitely liable for prosecution. “Mr G. G. M. Mitchell, District Officer of the Department of Labour, assures me that grocers must close in accordance with the award”. Mr Campbell remarked that there seemed to be some uncertainty in Wellington about the matter, but the Southland grocers were not going to make themselves liable to prosecution. However, some ruling might yet come from Wellington, which would give the grocers a legal right to open. "The Southland grocers cannot open, even to sell bread or newspapers, and as president of the Association, it is my duty to see that we abide by the award”, he added.

Taranaki Grocers

to Risk Opening

P.A. NEW PLYMOUTH. April 22. The committee of the Taranaki Retail Grocers’ Association has recommended to its members that they open their doors on Monday, and make arrangements with rhe employees to add a day to their next annual leave. This is announced bv the secretary of the Association, Mr W. G. Watts. A decision that they had no alternative but to close was made by the Association at a special meeting at New Plymouth this morning. Within an hour it became known that a firm with chain stores throughout Taranaki had instructed its branches to open. This created a situation m which some grocers had to dec!ae whether they were to dose then doors while their competitors i-eniam-ed opened, or whether theyweie o open and incur a risk of mosecjuon A final decision to recommend opei ing was made this afternoon.