DISMISSAL OF GIRLS

Southland Times, Issue 23228, 17 June 1937, Page 6

DISMISSAL OF GIRLS

Alleged Avoidance Of Basic Wage

CAPABLE WORKERS SCARCE MINISTER’S STATEMENT CHALLENGED (Special to The Times.) AUCKLAND, June 16. ’The difficulty of securing capable assistants was mentioned by a number of large employers of female labour when the suggestion made by the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) that many firms were dismissing girls on reaching the age of 21 years to avoid paying them the basic wage was referred to them. In every case the managers of large establishments said that there was no foundation for the Minister’s statement as it was in the interests of business to retain competent girls as it was becoming increasingly difficult to replace them. It was admitted that it was necessary in some cases to dispense with the services of girls who failed to show the necessary aptitude, but only after it had been demonstrated that efforts to train them to the desired state of efficiency had failed.

Mr K. C. Howard, acting secretary of the Auckland Employers’ Association and the Drapery, Clothiers and Boot Retailers’ Association pointed out that the basic wage did not come into the question as many of the workers were receiving the equivalent of the basic rate a year before they came of age. Far from employers trying to, defeat the Government’s legislation they were constantly seeking to find ways to comply with it. He knew from his contact with employers in both the city and ’country districts that employers were willing to pay over ruling rates to get competent saleswomen, but in too many instances they were not available.