SMALL SHOPS AND SATURDAY CLOSING

Chronicle (Levin), 12 February 1947, Page 2

SMALL SHOPS AND SATURDAY CLOSING

■Press Association

Bv Telearavn—

WELLINGTON, Feb. 11. A few more shops are expected to close on Saturdays because of the provimon.s in tlie recent Retail Grocers' Assistants' award in wliicli the Arbitfation Court has exercised its power to : order the closing of shops despite the j fact that the shops do not einplov j assistants. ' ' In the, main the law is giving effect to a position that has prevailed during the last year or two," said an oiiicial of the Labour Department today. ' ' The Labour Department has not issyed any special instruction in the matter. Jn a few cascs it has been enforcing tlie provisions of the award made by the Arbilration Court. The Grocers5 Assistants' award included instructions that shops would not be permitted to open for business on Saturdays and that included all grocers' j shops in the Wellington industrial dis- ! trict." The official added that shops! which combiwd a grocery business j with a dairy or confectionery, would j have to close unJess the grocery business was contained in a subdivision | that could be shut down. The major- j i ty of dairies selling groceries already j had subdivisions. " Tlie majority of grocers' shops j were closed before the recent award ; was made," said the official. "Tliej la")st instruction by the Court may j mean some da-iries may suft'or. IIow- ! evvcr, dairies may open if they have a ■ subdivision." j Mr. W. J. Mountjoy, secretary of the j , Sinai! Shopkeepors ' Association, said J tnday that most small shopkeepers who i had been staying open on Saturdays, j would continne to do so. "These shops inchide confectioners, dairies, fruiterers, calce shops, cafelerias, tearooins, restaurants and inilk bars, so the sale ot milk, Imtter, brcad, cheese, eggs, cakes, biscuits, confectionery, fruit and vegetables will continue on Satur davs. " Mr. Mountjoy said. He knew of no written instructions to shopkeepers and advised that any shop-keupo-cS who wero in doubt should consult their associa .ion officials.