SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19026, 28 May 1936, Page 11

SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT

AMENDMENTS PLANNED MINIMUM WAGE KATES TIME BOOKS NECESSARY (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. The clause in the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill, which sought to bring offices of solicitors, mining companies and miners’ unions under the provisions of the Act, is to be deleted by the Government, according to amendments contained in a supplementary order paper which was circulated in the House to-day. However, a new clause is to be included bringing workers in these offices under the provisions of the, bill with regard to the minimum wage rates. Although it is stated there is no obligation on the. employer to make any payment, for overtime, these three classes of offices are. also to be brought undo' the provisions of the, bill dealing with the keeping of wages and time books. A clause in the bill to limit the hours of employment in hotels and restaurants is to come Into force on September 1 with the “shorter hour’’ clauses in other industrial W|gislMion. Howdveiv >un amending provision is to be introduced by the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, Minister of Labour, so that the rate, for any overtime worked in hotels and restaur-

ants between July 1, when the general provisions of the bill will come mto operation, and September 1 must be paid for at time and a half, with a minimum of Is 6d per hour. An amendment has been introduced so that shop assistants in receipt of wages amounting to £3OO or more annually must receive extra pay for overtime. The definition of the temp “restaurant” in the original Act is to ho amended to include, boarding houses, in which tho number of boarders is usually live or more. A relevant clause in the bill formerly provided that boarding houses with 10 hoarders, would be, brought within the scope of the Act. A new clause to ho inserted exempts passenger transport services or agencies from the closing hour provisions of the bill.