SATURDAY CLOSING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 38, 25 January 1946, Page 5

SATURDAY CLOSING

TO COMMENCE NEXT MONTH

WHAK AT AN E R ETAILERS DECISION

The Whakatane Retailers. Association, at one of the most representative meetings in its history, decided last Tuesday evening to close all business premises on Saturday morning as from the week ending February 2nd. Normal shopping hours will he from 8.30 a.m. till 5 p.m. and the late, night will be observed on Friday as usual the hours being from 9 a.m. till 9 p.m. with a possible slight variation ,in the oiiening, hours on that day for the grocery trade. ' :

Mr C. S. Armstrong, the president expressed his gratification with the fact that some fifty members bad. seen fit to attend. It was possible he said to extend the 40 hour week over sto days. This (liajfl been conveyed by the Prime Minister’s Department and. bad been further borne out by the Auckland Provincial Employers Association, which had stated 'hat the jiosition would obtain until the Court ordered otherwise. He added that he was keen to reach complete unanimity in the matter as he understood that there 9 were several factions in the town already, particularly with regard, to the baking of bread and its delivery for weekend consumption. He asked therefore for an indication from the meeting that whatever tlie decision all present would agree to abide by it. On a show of hands this course was agreed to unanimously. Mr Anderson spoke for the bakery trade and pointed out that many grocer’s shops acted as depots for the distribution of bread on Saturday mornings. That was the diffir culty which would have to be. overcome if a closed day was decided on. Mr Rigden said that the butchers were all ok the opinion that the Saturday closing would suit them very welL

Mr E. Ramson said that in his opinion it was obvious that Saturday would be declared a complete holiday eventually. The five-day week bound to come, and Wliakatane might just as well commence it right away, as had been done in Opotiki. He; moved that the 40 hour week be adopted and that the town be closed on Saturday as from February 2nd. He specified the closing Limes, as 5 p.m. from Mondays to Thursdays and 9 p.m. on Friday nights. This was seconded and carried unanimously. Mr Macklow pointed out that chemists still remained practically a law unto themselves their shops being permitted to open and close as they pleased.