SHOP ASSISTANTS’ AWARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19201, 18 June 1924, Page 4

SHOP ASSISTANTS’ AWARD.

SMALL TRADERS' COMPLAINTS. “CONCESSION TO MONOPOLY.” (Peom Ode Own Coebespondent.) AUCKLAND, June 17. Two months’ experience of the new regulations concerning the earlier closing of ■hops whose business is covered by the retail shop assistants’ award has provoked much complaint throughout Auckland, rgainst the Arbitration Court’s decision, -cores of small traders in and about the ,-ity and suburbs assert that the curtailment »f' the shopping hours in the evening ' is mother concession to monopoly and the big traders.” Investigation reveals some in■eresting features in the shopping trade of Auckland. Of these an outstanding point is the number of small shops throughout the ■it-.y and suburbs each, it would seem, having to turn over much stuff to make any- : hing like a substantial profit. Most of such shops do not employ assistants at all and suite frequently represent a hazardous enterprise. Here and there, however, a small shop is run by a wife as a means of supvlemcnting the industrial wages of the husband. The great increase in this form of enterprise during recent years is said to have hardened die heart of Pharaoh, rgainst what the orthodox shopkeepers call ntair competition by freelance traders who former!'- were not affected by the shop assistants’ award. There is a great deal more complaint against the closing at 8.30 o’clock on the late shopping night than against the 5.30 closing on four evenings each week. Suburban traders say they have been severely hit by the curtailment of the late night shopping. Formerly they secured an appreciable measure of business from suburban residents. After they had visited the city on a Friday evening they invariably had some purchases to make an returning from town, and small traders got the benefit of that "last minute” trade. Under the new rule it has mostly been lost