INDUSTRIAL LAWS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 125, 28 May 1936, Page 8

INDUSTRIAL LAWS

SHOPS AND OFFICES .AMENDMENT OPINIONS IN PARLIAMENT MINISTER’S CONCESSIONS I Per Press Association. ] WELLINGTON, May 27. The House of Representatives this al ler noon resumed discussion ou the committal of the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill. Mr. S. G. Smith (Opposition, New Plymouth) thought the Jbiil was a little less harmiul tnan the other Lauour measures that had preceded it, but there were still one or two Clauses which he thought the Minister would be well advised to modify. He appealed to the Minister to see that wiieu that and the other two measures were in Luli operation there would not b*. a period of intense irritation by au army of inspectors trying to create a record in the number or prosecutions rather ta.au do tile fair ming between employer and employee. Hon. A. Hamilton (Opposition, Wallace) said he doubted if solicitors' slerxs and bank clerks would be any better off under the Bill than at pro* ••nt. He thought they would lose some 01 th?ir present privileges. He had heard no complaints from c.ei'ks in so.icitors’ offices and banks, nor anything to suggest that they w anted belter conditions. He suggested t*«at banks should be piaced on a fortnightly basis instead of a forty-hour wce.<. He welcomed the amendment extending the time io not more than five hours of shop assistants before a meal hour was given, He thought that would be a great convenience. Mr. Hamilton contended that compulsory closing at noon on the half-holiday would be an inconvenience to the public. Minister’s Reply. Ho-n. 11. T. Armstrong, in reply, said the people had nad amp.e time to make themseives aequainteu with the provisions of the i>iU and it could i*o<, oe said mat the legislation tad been Hurried througn tie did not tnink any previous Minister had made as many concessions as he had and that showed that he had listened to the representations made to him. As he had said before, it was the unscrupulous employer they had to legislate against, otherwise there would be no need for the shc-ps and offices legislation at allThe provision limiting the payment of overtime to employees receiving less than £3OO a year had been found to be an anomaly and had been removed. 1 he Bill was ou the lines c-f the recommendations of the commission set up live or six years ago to go into conditions in shops and offices, but it did not go as far as those recommendations. The second reading was carried. Urgency was accorded the passing of the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill, which was then considered in committee. Speaking on the short title, Mr. S. G. Holland (Opp. Christchurch North) expressed appreciation at the Minister’s decision to exempt solicitors’ offices from the hours provision. Lawyers would be much relieved. Mr. H. S. 8. Kyle (O.pp. Kiccarton) asked the Minister to exempt auctioneers and stock and station agents from the provisions of the Bill, they were more entitled to exemption than tolieitors or bankers. Hon. A. Hamilton (Opp. Wallace) suggested that some limit should be placed on the limit under which overtime should be paid, as with the Minister’s amendment it would apply tj a man getting £lOOO a year. Mr. S. G. Smith (Opp. New Plymouth) asked the Minister to d-scuss with the Minister of Education the position of persons in country districts who provided meals for school children where hostels did not exist. If they were to be brought under the Bill it might mean a hardship to the children. When the House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Hon. G. W. Forbes said that natural increase in prices following increased costs due to the operations of the Bill must be allowed to go ahead. The Government could not nope to prevent it or it would mean ruin to traders. Mr, Kyle said that stock auctioneers often had to sell till well into the evening and he contended that auctioneers should be exempted from the Bill. He was supported by Hon. J. G. Coates, when the Minister interjected and stated that the Bill dealt with shops and offices, not stockyards. Mr. Coates said the Government had overlooked the fact that it was impossible to increase costs above world prices. Hon H. T. Armstrong said the Bill applied to office assistants, not to iuctioneers and their yardmen, Stocked or saleyard were not delined in the Bill. Mr. Coates: Is that what is meant? Mr. Armstrong; Of course it is what m meant. At Big Saleyards. Mr. Bodkin said that stock and station agents had to maintain offices and staffs at big saleyards and the provisions of the Bill would apply to them, and he suggested that the’ Minister should specifically exempt offices fit saleyards. He also asked for consideration for the auctioning of fruit in the evenings during the season. Hon. F. Langstone said that what was wanted was organisation. All the people wanted was a lead. The Opposition was in a rut and he was thankful that the Government had sufficient leverage to push it out of the rut. Mr. H. M. Christie (Government, Waipawa) said the Bill did not affect auctioneers but did affect auctioneers’ clerks, and if a clerk worked overtime at a sale he must be paid for it. The Opposition was imagining many things that wdre not in the Bill. The conditions of auctioneers ani insurance clerks remained under discussion till the short title was passed after three hours’ discussion. Mr. Holland moved an amendment to Clause 3 with the object of permitting shop assitsants to work five hours instead of 4> hours before the interval for a meal. Mr. Armstrong explained that he had an amendment which provided for five hours without an interval in cases where the employer allowed ten rvavie* for rest everv three hours, and Mr. Holland withdrew his amendment.