MASTER GROCERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10847, 12 March 1921, Page 4

MASTER GROCERS

ANNUAL MEETING RELATIONS BETWEEN .EMPLOYER AND EMPLYEE. DIFFICULT TIMES AHEAD. There was a fair attendance of members at tho annual meeting of the AVel--1 ing ton Master Grocers’ Industrial Union of EYoployers, when Mr H. D. Bennett presided. ANNUAL REOPpRT. The annual report, which was adopted, contained the following :

-Shops and Offices Act.—An amending Act was passed by Parliament at last session. The principal features are:—l. Reduction of hours from 52 to 48; 2. power given to Arbitration Court to still -.further reducq hours; 3. closing of all shops at 6 p.m. in special districts. The latter provision has met -with hostile criticism, and in the absence of action by master grocers there is a possibility oi this clause being amended. Federation of Master Grocers. —When Dominion grocers met in Wellington, in a conference late last year, it was decided to form a federation executive. It was agreed that for the present the Wellington executive be a Dominion one. This matter, however, has not had the attention Dominion grocers should give it, and very little work is coming from other organisations. General.—The position' between em ployer and employee in onr trade remains one for constant care And vigilance. The former has declared for a halt, while the latter still seeks easier conditions and higher pay. No Arbitration Court award can safely be expected to run. a course of more than a few months at a time. The Government ofthe day appears to,, be convinced of the folly of the policy of fixing prices, and no 4°ubt its experience in this connection will serve a useful purpose in ihe future. The business of this union has necessitated the usual attendances at Arbitration Court sittings, and the thanks of thp association are due to its special representatives and to Mr Grenfell, the secretary of tho Wellington Employers, fox- the care in the protection of our interests. . ,

The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, dealt with the various item® in the report, and specially drew attention to the fact that he considered the membership was low, considering the number that were connected with the trade in the Wellington district. The committee undertook the work for all, and he considered that all grocers trading in the district should become members and support the union, and he trusted the incoming pommittee would make a special effort tx> make the year more attractive for non-mem-bers to join up. In referring to the Shops and Offices Act, Mr Bennett stated that he was always iu favour of 6 o’clock closing, and there would be a probable alteration in legislation in. the near future. Mr Bennett then outlined the prices that were being offered for our primary products, which would necessarily mean more difficult times in the future, and warned the incoming committee that strenuous times were ahead. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Tho following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, H. D. Bennett (re-elected); vice-president, J. F. Redmond; secretary, 11. J. Stott (reelected); treasurer, R. Janson, hon. audil tor, E. Read; committee, J. Mellraith, E- Bolton, C. Di- Lennie, H. Wardell, T. H. Meegann. Lea. Mr Baker, a member of the association, resident in Eastbourne, asked for the opinion of the meeting with regard' to small traders closing at 6 o’clock in such a district as he lives, and he suggested that the committee should support any future legislation that would help the trader in auch a district as Eastbourne. The matter was left to the incoming committee.