SMALLER STAFFS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25058, 23 November 1944, Page 4

SMALLER STAFFS

problem in •SHOPS girls directed elsewhere Some city retailers are facing Christmas with real apprehension because of further inroads into their sales staffs by the direction of girls and women to seasonal occupations. It was stated yesterday that the situation was the more serious because many of the hands so directed were 21 years of age or over and consequently were among the more experienced. Inquiries showed that lnore goods were available this year for the Christmas trade, but that at the present rate of staff depletion, which was expected to continue, there would be fewer salespeople than evef- to help customers with the always rather difficult task of choosing gifts. In fact, the early Christmas business at present was not being'carried on easily in some shops. . t , Retailers in the central city area consider that Saturday closing has had a good effect in distributing trade more evenly over the week, and some of them have found that Friday night shopping brings the day's returns above those formerly received 011 Friday and Saturday together. The biggest problem, apart from general shortage of staff, is in serving lunch-hour customers. It has been suggested that a general appeal might be made to housewives and others similarly placed to keep out of shops at midday and leave the lunch period to those who are at work and unable to buy at other times.