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Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21822, 27 November 1940, Page 4

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Shops And Offices Bill Action Commended By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, November 26. Reporting on the Shops and offices Amendment Bill on behalf of the Labour Bills Committee to the House to-day, Mr C. H. Chapman said that the committee had heard evidence on the Bill and had come to the conclusion that in view of the strong divergence of opinion on the measure it would recommend that the Bill be not proceeded with, but it was suggested that the Government give consideration to a general consolidation of the Shops and Offices Act, 1921, and its amendments. Mr C. A. Wilkinson (Ind.. Egmont) said the Government’s decision not to proceed with the measure would give a lot of satisfaction. He could assure the Government that there had been widespread opposition to the measure as brought before the House during the last portion of the session. Fortyone county councils were opposed to it and 21 Chambers of Commerce, as w’ell as many Farmers Unions. The Minister had been misled to a certain extent when he had introduced the Bill, and he had acted very fairly in connection with it. He wished to congratulate the Minister on his attitude, but he could assure him that if the Bill had been proceeded with it would have caused the Government some embarrassment. The Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, said that many sections of employers supported the Bill and others opposed it, but in view of the variance of opinion it had been decided not to proceed with it in view of what could more or less be called the truce which had been arranged between the parties during the war. Mr A. S. Richards: Who has kept the truce? Mr Webb: That is another matter. Continuing, Mr Webb said the Government had under consideration legislation consolidating the Shops and Offices Act and its amendments, and a draft of this legislation would be submitted to all the parties concerned before its introduction. Such a Bill was absolutely necessary and the method he proposed to adopt would be helpful to all concerned. Mr W. J. Polson (National, Stratford) said the Minister had kept his word in connection with the Bill, but he was sorry to hear that he intended to reintroduce the measure later on, especially during wartime. He emphasised the inconvenience such a measure would cause in country districts, and said he was sure the country' would resent it. The report was laid on the table.