SHOP AND OFFICE WORK

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 152, 29 May 1936, Page 6

SHOP AND OFFICE WORK

BILL GOES THROUGH. THREAT BY MINISTER. | Per Press Association. WELLINGTON. May 28. In’ the House of Representatives this afternoon further consideration was given in Committee to the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill Mr W. J. Broadfoot moved an amendment to clause 7 to strikeout the provision that occupation in any shop should count for the purpose of determining the rate of payment to an employee who transfers to another shop. He said it would mean that voting people would not readily he able to change their occupation as most employers would prefer to engage an inexperienced employee rather than one who had been half-trained in ia different class of shop. Mr A. S. Richards said tlie provision was in the Rill merely, to protect an employee against that type of employer who engaged a youth for a few months for his own purposes and then turned him adrift. Mr T. H. McCombs said the provision would overcome tlie difficulty caused through an employer sacking a boy .when the time came to increase Jiis wages. ; Mr C. H. Chapman said that without the provision the position might arise that a boy would be dismissed every six months and at the end of three years would still be receiving only fifteen shillings per week. Mr R. A. Wright said that employers would not engage an inexperienced boy if they had to pay him more than fifteen shillings to start, and the boy would be boycotted. Hon. H. T, Armstrong said that under the Bill a.n employee would be 19 years of age before be received £2 per" week and many employers would employ a boy till he was receiving, say, 28s and then dismiss him and take on another at 15s. Opposition cries of "No.” Mr Armstrong said that employers would simply swap employees, and that was what was happening. It was going on every hour of the day. OTHER STEPS IE NECESSARY. Only that morning, said the Minister, he had received a report from an inspector that a certain firm had given notice of dismissal to sixteen girls, and he said that was done because of the legislation now before the House, yet the Opposition were bolding up the legislation and allowing employers to get away with it. These girls would then I>9 re-engaged at the minimum wage. Employers would not be allowed to get away with it and if they did get away with it new legislation would be brought down to prevent it. Mr Broadfoot: You are threatening now.

Mr Armstrong: Yes, that is a threat and we intend to see that the law is respected. AVe will stand no humbug. Tlie Minister appealed to the House to allow the Government to have a chance to put the Bill into effect. From his knowledge of what was going on the provision was necessary, and if it did not remedy the position, more drastic legislation would be brought down.

jHe claimed that the honest employer was in favour of the clause, and the dishonest employer wanted it struck ° l Mr H. G. Dickie said that if a boy had been six months in a job lie was easily worth more than four shillings iibove a “now chum.” The number ol unemployed boys was growing and he would like to learn the correct positloMr Wright said it could not be said the Opposition were holding up the legislation, because the Prime Minister had a weapon to overcome that. Mr S G Holland said that he would do all in his power to stop the position to which the Minister had referred • was a gross exaggeration to say employers all over New Zealand were exchanging their employees. Mr 11. A. Atmorc said he had another case of an employer dismissing employees and offering to le-engago them temporarily. He said it was the same employer as the case quoted by the Minister, but in another town. Many employers did wish to do the right thing, but there were boys and girls who needed protection. Mr H. S. S. Kyle asked if the firm mentioned was one of those big drapery firms that had lug clearing sales periodically and engaged temporary assistants for them. Mr Richards said he knew of large firms ill Auckland paying dividends ot

! 12 to 15 per cent, who i employed girh> an dwomen at 10s to 12s 6d per w • The Bill aimed to protect the sciupu louh employers from the unscrupulous 0n, j'he amendment was lost on the '°Several amendments of which notice had been given by the Minister "ere amendment moved by- the Minister, to ease the position as it applied to banks was agreed to. The Bill was then reported to the House with amendments, read the third time and passed.