NOTICES WITHDRAWN

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 146, 5 June 1936, Page 7

NOTICES WITHDRAWN

None of 630 Employees To

Be Dismissed MINISTER EXPLAINS Bv Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, June 4. The following statement has been made by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong: “Recently there were shown to me letters which had been received by members of the staff of a large Wellington firm with branches in a number of centres. Later information showed that similar letters were being issued from the branch offices of the firm at Napier, Gisborne. Timaru, Nelson and Invercargill. These letters notified the recipients that careful reorganisation of the staff necessitated their dismissal, but offered them temporary re-engagement with a good assurance of later permanency. “In the course of investigations Into complaints about the matter,” Mr Armstrong added, “I received the explanation from representatives of the firm concerned, J. R. McKenzie, Ltd., that they were carrying out a reorganisation planned originally in February last, and I was assured by them that this action was not being taken to forestall the legislation which was before Parliament; that the notices issued had been withdrawn; and that none of the 630 shop assistants employed by the firm would be dismissed on account of the new legislation. “The representatives of the firm had been told by me that I personally was prepared to accept their explanation. At their request I yesterday agreed to make public the fact, and I accordingly do so.”