SHOP GIRLS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2181, 20 June 1914, Page 9

SHOP GIRLS

i CHAIRS FOR TIRED ASSISTANTS A COMPLAINT ANSWERED "Perhaps you can help the shop girls by publishing this letter. I have noticed v that; unlike somo other towns in New Zealand, Wellington employers are very inconsiderate towards their lady assistants. Girls after working, standing on their feet for four and five • hours a day are not even provided with chairs behind the counter that they may take a rest in quiet minutes, and in some shops that do provide chairs tho girls aro not allowed to use them. I think it time something was done in this matter " Tho above is tho text of a letter received from a correspondent, "A Shop Girl's Father." A Dominion representative made inquiries yesterday from a number of the largo drapery business establishments in the city. Tho manager of the D.I.C. was first approached, his remarks, after reading the • letter were short and to the point. "As far as wo aro concerned," he said, "the statements in tho letter are untrue. Everything is done for tho comfort of our assistants." Other managers approached elaborated on the same answer. "It is to our interest that we should give 6ur assistants a rest and if chairs are not behind the counter tho girls are at Hberty at all times when things are slack to take a chair from about the shop and sit down. The chairs are there, you can see for yourself." Another manager of a drapery and millinery business was rather indignant about tiio allegation. "It is absolutely untrue," he said. "There may be isolated cases in tho city where girls are not provided with chairs or not allowod to use them when they aro there, but those arc few." The general strain of the manager's remarks when questioned was that chairs were there for the girls if they wanted them.. They might abuse thoir privilege, but thai was their own look-out. Whon approached in reference to the matter, Mr. W. H. Hagger, of the Labour Department, said that as far as he was aware the of the Shops and Offices Act under which sitting accommodation for female shop assistants is compulsory, was being enforced. The inspector's duty was to see that the provisions of the Act were carried out. Mr. Hagtrer also stated that the new Act provided for the heating of Ehops and a thorough inspection would shortly he made regarding these requirements. At the same ;time tho question of 'sitting accommodation would be investigated. During tho course of his investications the reporter observed that behind most of the counters in .the drapery shops there were chairs in plenty, hut only in one isolated case was any assistant seated. There were counters behind which there were no chairs and in cases it could bo seen that so narrow was the space behind the counter that if chairs were used it would seriously hamper the work of tho assistants. In ono of tho latter cases the manager of the.establishment observed that the assistants could pull out thd shop drawers and use them for scats if they wished.