ARBITRATION AWARDS.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXVI, Issue 4003, 5 February 1909, Page 2

ARBITRATION AWARDS.

To the Editor.

Sir, —As a new arrival in these parts I have been wondering whether | or no the arbitration awards are a dead letter in this district. 1 notice the grocers’award, especially, isbei ing continually broken, both on the i weekly half holiday and public holidays. In one locality, less than two | miles from the Hamilton Post Office, : on passing through on Ist January, I noticed one store wide open, doing big business; again, on 29th January I (Anniversary Day), while all the places in Hamilton were closed, and I on turning up the grocers’ award I find it gazetted as a compulsory holiday. Yet this same place was in full swing, all the employees being present. What I would like to know is; Where is the inspector? or, Is there one? and, Is there no grocers’ union? If there is, how is it they permit their members to work on public holidays, and sometimes on Wednesday afternoons? What is the use of making laws for the benefit of the assistants if in such an open manner they aie allowed to be broken. Then, again, it is unfair to all the other business people who have the interests of their employees at heart, and who religiously keep the law, that they should be handicapped by lawbreakers. I hope the inspector, if there is one, in the interests of the law-abiding citizens, will be on the move and keep his eyes open.—l am, etc., AN OLD GROCER.