PAY-DAY AT END OF WEEK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19121, 16 September 1936, Page 8

PAY-DAY AT END OF WEEK

DIFFICULTIES IN TRADE

TUESDAY SUGGESTED

MATTER. TO BE TAKEN UP

The difficulties experienced by Irndespcoplo in Gisborne as n result of assistants being paid their wages at. the end of the week were discussed at. the quarterly meeting yesterday afternoon of the Gisborne Chamber of Commerce, when a letter was received from the secretary of the Gisborne Master Grocers’ Association, Mr. John Jackson, in which lie stated that at a meeting of his association on Monday evening it w;is resolved that it should 'be a recommendation to the master grocers of Gisborne that the pay-day for the assistants in each working week should be other than Friday or Saturday. It was further resolved, he stated, that a letter should be sent the chamber soliciting its support. Mr. IT. Gilmer said the new legislation had put a number of difficulties in the way of business people, and grocers were finding it difficult to cope with their business at the week-end and keep within the hours. The wages problem was not a new one, and he thought it would be a. sound recommendation that all wages should be paid on a day earlier than a Wednesday. Mr. Gilmer pointed out. that the housewife did most of the purchasing of goods for the household and if employees were allowed to draw their pay on a Monday it would give her an opportunity to do her shopping leisurely and spread it over the week.

When asked what; he would like the chamber to do, Mr. Gilmer said that he would like it to send a resolution to other chambers. Mr. T. E. Toneycliffe did not tlrink it would be troublesome to have the pay-day altered. His firm paid their employees on Monday, but lie considered that a Tuesday would bo a more suitable day. Mr. F. It. Ball asked Sir. Gilmer if it was not possible for the grocers to select their own day without action from the chamber.

Mr. 'Gilmer pointed out that it was not their own case that troubled them and it was the wish of the master grocers to make the pay-day early in the week universal. Mr. M. J. White said that this wish was not merely restricted to the grocers, as there were others also desirous of a change. lie moved that it. be a recommendation to the Associated Chambers of Commerce in Xew Zealand to consider the question of altering the pay day to .Monday or Tuesday, and if it. saw tit to pass the recommendation on to the Government.

Mr. V. E. Sanders said that there would be too long to wait before anything could be done in the matter, and thought that a local association of businessmen should be .formed to alter conditions locally. Mr. Sanders seconded the motion when Mr. White agreed to include his addition, and the motion was carried.