NOTICES WITHDRAWN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19027, 29 May 1936, Page 6

NOTICES WITHDRAWN

DISMISSED EMPLOYEES

QUESTION IN HOUSE

ACTION l:V MINISTER

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. This morning, Mr. C. H. Chapman (Labour, Wellington N.J asked the .Minister of Labour whether he would take steps to ensure that the policy of the Government in connection with shops and offices is not rendered ineffective through the' discharge of employees before duly 1. Jit* said that a chain stores firm with shops in many towns of Ihe Dominion has- given its staff a week's notice, and offered to re-employ them on a temporary basis for the apparent purpose of evading the application of the Government legislation respecting (lie wage standards of shop assistants. The Hon. 11. T. Armstrong, in reply, quoted section seven, sub-clause three, ot the STiops and Offices Amendment Bill, and said that in view of the concluding words of the sub-clause, employers must credit employees with service prior to the passing of the Act, and cannot evade the minimum wages requirements of the section by dismissing shop assistants prior to duly 1, and re-engaging them. FURTHER STEP POSSIBLE It was further provided in section 21 of the Shops and Offices: Amendment Bill that no person employed in any shop or office shall be dismissed or reduced in wages merely by reason of any alteration made in the working hours under the bill. These two clauses might prove

sufficient to ensure that the Government’s policy was not rendered ineffective through the discharge of employees, but. iu any case the department was closely watching the position throughout New Zealand, and if it appeared necessary, in the light of reports received the Government would consider what further steps shool<l lie taken to see that the purposes- of the present legislation were not frustrated.

■‘.So far as the particular case quoted is concerned the department, took the matter up yesterday with the firm concerned,” adiled the Minister, “and has received an assurance that the notices issued to member*! of its staff in various parts of New Zealand on May 27 have been withdrawn.”

Mr. Armstrong said Ibis position did not apply only to the one firm quoted. There were instances where other firms had given employees notice of dismissal.