SHOP HOURS FIXED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20511, 1 September 1936, Page 6

SHOP HOURS FIXED

DECISION TO OPEN LATER

MEETING OF RETAILERS

In accordance with a recent decision of the Arbitration Court, as from today Timaru retailers will open their premises for only 44 hours each week, and the hours of opening and closing will be altered to conform with the shorter working week. At a largely attended meeting called yesterday by the South Canterbury Employers’ Association, it was decided to open the shops for business at 8.50 a.m. and to close at 5.30 p.m, on four days of the week, and to close at noon on Saturdays, the late nigh* to remain as previously.

The meeting was presided over by Mr E. D. Mcßae, who explained that at a meeting held three or four weeks ago It had been decided to support r 44 hour week Instead of a 40 hour one, a recommendation having been made at the time regarding the hours of opening and closing. That was purely a recommendation, however, and he tho ught the whole question .hould be discussed again. Wnat had to be decided was whether they would have uniformity regarding hours of work in sections. Previously some doubt had existed as to whether a shop would be permitted to remain open longer than 44 hours provided the assistants did not work more than 44 hours a week, but a telegram had been received from Wellington to the effect that such a procedure was in order. The first thing to do, he suggested, was to agree to limit the hours during which shops should remain open to 44 a week.

No Fixed Hours

Mr W. M. Sexton ’jointed out that in the Shops and Offices Act no attempt was made to fix the hours of opening and closing because the retail trade j was subject to different awards, the i hours of butchers pnd grocers differing from those of diapers, for instance. Christchurch retailers had found it impossible to decide on a suitable time for opening and closing and, as no times were laid down by the Act, they had decided to carry on as at present, granting extended lunch time to assistants to reduce their hours to 44 a week. In the drapery trade senior assistants worked only 43 hours a week at present and juniors 47. The chairman expressed the opinion that the time of opening was not so important to the general public as the time of closing, arid he suggested that, as near as possible, uniformity should be maintained. Mr J. W. Souter moved and Mr H W. Brownie seconded that the hours be from 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mr F. St. J. Parson pointed out that the half hour between 5 and 5.30 p.m. was the most valuable from a business point of view. He advanced an amendment that the hours U 8.50 to 5.30 p.m., 8.50 to 9 p.m. on Fridays, and 8.50 to noon on Saturdays. The amendment was seconded by Mr S. G. McClelland. It would be unfair to allow some employers to remain open longer than 44 hours because they were proprietors, and to make managers, who took the place of employers in some businesses, to close at the stipulated time, said Mr E. Porter.

It was unanimously agreed to open the shops for only 44 hours a week. Mr McClelland advocated making the assistants work a full 44 hours. If employers allowed them to work only 43 hours, when the assistants went to the Arbitration Court they would be able to argue that the employers had given them the extra hour.

Grocers Want Early Start

The earlier the start the better it would be for the grocery trade, said Mr C. G. Gibson, who emphasised that grocers had to consider their carters. He advocated an 8.30 a.m. start on that account. He undeistood an arrangement would be made for youths to be employed in the early part of the morning in sweeping out and taking orders over the telephone. The retail drapers had held a meeting on Friday and had decided to work between 8.50 and 5.30, said Mr B. L. Blodorn, who added that those hours would suit the convenience of the public best. Mr J. Gordon Davis said he had received informatior from Wellington that in that city and in other centres retailers were opening at 8.50 a.m. Recently he had taken a check on trade during the first and last half hours of the day, and the result was 16 to one in favour of the last half hour.

Mr Gibson, seconded by Mr J. A. Norrie, moved an amendment that the hours be from 8.30 to 5.15 p.m., 8.30 to 8 p.m. on Fridays and 8.30 to noon on Saturdays. Mr Parson’s amendment was carried by a large majority, there being only seven dissentients. The chairman appealed to all retailers to carry ou< the hours decided upon and to observe the arrangement in the right spirit. Mr W. S. Young said that, although they had decided on 44 hours, if assistants were going to be allowed to sweep out before 8.50 the shops would actually be open more than 44 hours. It was pointed out by Mr Sexton that the sweeping out could be done behind closed doors.