AMENDMENTS OPPOSED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 261, 2 October 1940, Page 9

AMENDMENTS OPPOSED.

BUSINESSMEN’S VIEW

The proposed amendments to the Shops and Offices Act, reintroduced to Parliament, were opposed at a tneeting of the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce last evening. A circular was received from Mr C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., dealing with the proposed amendments. In effect, the (jiicular stated, the amendments, if they became law, would provide that a judge of the Arbitration Court would determine the day of the weekly half-holiday, the opening and closing hours for shops, also the right to continue the late shopping' night, as well as Saturday morning trading. In the opinion of the writer the real drive in connection with the Bill was: (I) To close the shops permanently on Saturday mornings; (2) to do away with the late shopping night eventually ; and,(3) to make the weekly half-holi-day universal on Saturdays. “This is, to my mind, another method of trying to rule the country,” remarked the president (Mr K. A.' Henderson). “Wo can get on quite well in Palmerston North by arranging our own hours.” Mr F. G. Opie remarked that the measure would , also affect country stores. I

The president agreed, hut said that only those classes of business coming under the Shops and Offices Act would be affected.

Mr H. G. Mills thought that if the shops were closed on Saturdays that would ho a great inconvenience to the general public. On the motion of the president the meeting passed a resolution that, as the system of hours of opening and closing shops was working quite smoothly in Palmerston North, it was considered unnecessary to have any legislation on the subject,' or that the Arbitration Court should have any power in the matter. The resolution is to he forwarded to Mr Wilkinson.