TEA-ROOM HOURS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22860, 15 October 1937, Page 16

TEA-ROOM HOURS

FEMALE WORKERS MOVE BY THE EMPLOYERS AMENDMENTS TO ACT SOUGHT In the expectation that there will be a .revision of the Shops and Offices Act in the present session of Parliament, the Auckland Restaurant Proprietors' Association, which includes in its membership owners of milk bars and tearooms, has communicated with the Minister of Labour, t?'.e Hon. H. T. Armstrong, suggesting- several alterations which it claims affect the service proprietors are ablo to give to the public.

The suggestions were made to the Minister by a deputation prior to his departure to Europe, when he promised to give the representations close consideration. They have therefore been put forward again to the Minister bv way of a reminder. Assistants taking their half-day now do' so at 1 p.m., which is the peak of the lunch-hour period. The association considers that the ceasing of work at 1 p.m. causes a certain amount of dislocation and delays to patrons. It therefore has asked that tho time bo extended for half an hour.

Under tho legislation passed last year, female assistants may not be employed for more than eight hours in one day, although it is possible for female shop assistants to work beyond eight, hours on one day of the ,\\ T eek. It is desired that the provision for extended hours for shop assistants sMrold be extended to assistants in restaurants, tea-rooms and milk bars. Tho request was also made that female assistants should be permitted to cease work at 11 p.m. instead of 10.30 p.m. an hour which has stood since 1917. It is claimed that conditions have changed considerably since 1917, and it would be.possible to cater in many cases for suppers for crowds which have just left the picture theatres if girls could be employed to 11 p.m. While male assistants can' be employed to 11 p.m., it is difficult sometimes to get such labour for short periods. * When the deputation to tho Minister suggested the extension of tho hour to 11 p.m., Mr. Armstrong is reported to have admitted that the situation was difficult from the proprietors' point of view, and he promised to get the feeling of the union on the question.