SHOPS & OFFICES BILL

Hokitika Guardian, 22 October 1920, Page 4

SHOPS & OFFICES BILL

(Our Parliamentary Correspondent.; WELLINGTON, Oct. 21. The Shops and Offices Amendment Bill introduced in the House provides a forty-eight hour week for shop assistants. The present limit is 52 hours. The Minister of Labour, answering a question on the introduction of the Bill, stated that the Arbitration Court would be able to fix a shorter working week if it thought desirable. The 48 hours named in the Bill was the maximum. A new clause dealing with the powers of Arbitration Court in respect to shops makes it clear that the Court may fix the hours of closing on any working day other than the weekly half holiday, of all shops in trade or trades to which an award applies. The occupier of any shop inay be exempted if the Court believes that undue hardship would be caused him' by closing. The Court may also fix the maximum hours of employment jholidays and minimum wages for shop assistants subject to the maximum hours and rates mentioned in the principal Act. The Bill provides that shops in certain boroughs shall be closed at p.m. or four workings days of the week, other than the day of holiday, and at 9 p.m. on one day. The late day shall he Friday in. case of shops that observe the half-holiday on Saturday, and shall be Saturday in all other cases. The Boroughs covered by this rule are Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Gisborne, Greymouth, Hamilton, Invercargill 1 , Masterton, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Oamaru, Palmerston' North, Timaru, Wanganui and Wellington.