LATE SHOPPING NIGHT IN SUBURBS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17699, 20 November 1925, Page 11

LATE SHOPPING NIGHT IN SUBURBS.

GROCERS PETITION ARBITRATION COURT. To-day’s sitting of the Arbitration Court was occupied with the continuation of the hearing of the grocers’ assistants’ dispute. It was before the Court on Tuesday, and adjourned on account of a petition signed by 152 grocers disagreeing with the Conciliation Council’s recommendation in regard to tlie closing hour on Friday night, which had been fixed at the council at 9 p.m. His Honor Mr Justice Frazer i->re-sided, and with him were Messrs W. Scott (employers’ representative) and H. Hunter (workers’ representative). Mr W. C. Prime appeared on behalf of the employers, and Mr C. Kona represented the employees. Mr C. U. Smith, Sumner, appeared for the petitioners. Mr Prime asked for a ratification of the recommendations of the Conciliation Council. Mr Smith said that he was in the same position as on Wednesday. The number of male assistants employed by the petitioners was 338, and they wore all against the late Friday night in either the suburbs or in the city. There were only eighty-three in favour of it. The majority, therefore, favoured cutting out the late night altogether. In evidence. Mr Smith said the six city grocery shops employed 105 men, including employers and juniors. Seventy-five of these men were members of the union. In reply to Air Prime, witness stated that he had been approached by a number of grocers before fbo petition was started. He bad not taken the lead in the matter. During the last two years when he had been closing his shop at 9 p.m. on Friday, he had lost no business. Mr Prime: You have flouted, the law yourself (meaning that he had kept open on Saturday afternoons'. Witness: Yes. with the consent of the representatives of the law. Ilis Honor: Who are the representatives of the law? Witness: The inspectors. 1 suppose. His Honor: It is the first T have heard of it. Mr Smith said the Minister knew the position, but had taken no notice. Mr Hunter: You kept open because the others kept open ? Witness: Yes. His Honor said that he did not wish it to go out that the Court was a party to flouting the law. It was a J Aery undesirable state of affairs that the Court should make awards to be deliberately flouted. Mr Smith said that the suburban grocers did not want the city grocers to get the money which should be spent in the suburbs. He f»lt sure that if the city shops were permitted to keep open an extra half hour they would get a great deal of business that now went to the suburban grocers. What the suburban grocers desired was that the wages paid on Fridays should in. a large measure be spent in the suburbs, and not in the city on the late nigfit. If the late night was cut out { altogether the suburban shops would get the money on the Saturdav morning. His Honor said that the court was anxious that neither jhe city shops nor the suburban shops should gain an undue advantage, one over the other. An extra half hour on Friday night would undoubtedly operate in favour of the city shops. In reply to Mr Renn, Mr Smith said that he was perfectly aware that the award provided for closing shops at 8.30 on Friday night and at 1 p.m. on Saturday. A et the Sumner and X'cw Brighton grocers did not keep open on Friday night, but remained open on Saturday afternoon and had the late night on Saturday. Mr Renn( in surprised tone) : And there have been no prosecutions? Air Smith: Xone at all. Mr Renn: Well, that’s an extraordinary state of affairs. Mr Hunter: It looks as though somecne has said “To hell with the Ar- ! bitration Court.” His Honor said that the law was being flouted apparently with the knowledge of the authorities. There was no doubt room for two opinions ,as to the court’s wisdom in the matter Xew Brighton and Sumner \verc separate districts according to the Act. The court had heard strong evidence of competition but had come to the conclusion that Xew Brighton and Sumner were so closely allied to the city that the hours of closing in these suburbs were fixed at the same as those in the city. The Court of Appeal had confirmed this award. Now the people were openly flouting the award and it was a most improper thing that responsible officers did not enforce it. lie rlid not know anything official about the state of affairs till this morning. There was only one proper way of altering the position and that was by an amendment of the law. It was certainly a very bad policy to allow an award of the court to be flouted in such a manner. And it was apparently against the wishes of the employers of labour in these districts. Alfred E. Kincaid gave it as his opinion that the city shops employed more assistants than all the suburban shops put together. He considered it unfair that grocers should be asked to close half an hour earlier than other business premises. He thought the most important point would be the effect on the general public who should lie allowed a choice of where they should do their shopping. Witness claimed that 5.30 p.m. did not give sufficient time to housewives. The city traders were at a disadvantage compared with the suburban employers regarding rent, wages and other things and they should be given a little consideration. Discussing the question of the half holiday Mr Prime said that the employers in New Brighton and Sumner who previously favoured Saturday closing were now in favour of observing the statutory half holiday (Wednesday) and keeping open on Saturday. In reply to his Honor, Mr Renn said that the union was in the unfortunateposition that the employers had never had the opportunity of working under the privileges which had been granted' to them bv the award of two years ago. All he could do was to ask the court to renew the conditions laid down two years ago and endeavour to compel the grocers in New Brighton and Sumner to close on Saturday afternoons. Otherwise it meant that the assistants were going to lose something which they had under the present award. I-lis Honor: We shall not allow our judgment to be influenced by the fact that people have been flouting the law. Neither shall we be influenced by any wish of the Minister of Labour. If we are forced to go back on our decision of two years ago it will be solely because the circumstances have been changed and not because the award has not been observed. Mr Renn: I think it is a deplorable thing altogether. His Honor: Yes,-the law should “ith

er be repealed or enforced. I hope the ventilation of the matter this morning will have some good effect in other quarters. The court then adjourned, reserving its d*>(>i>b,n.