DRAPERS’ FEDERATION

Hokitika Guardian, 20 March 1925, Page 3

DRAPERS’ FEDERATION

ANNUA I, CONFERENCE

PALAIERSTOX N., Alarch IS

The sixth annual conference of the New Zealand Federation of Drapers and Clothiers was commenced in Palmerston North to-day. Air K. G. Page, of Wellington, president of the federation ,was in the chair.

Prior to tin; business, delegates from all parts of the Dominion were accorded a. civic welcome. The conference will continue till Friday, and at the conclusion a motor tour of the district will lie undertaken.

Tile annual report regretted the withdrawal of one or two districts from the federation, hat it still continued its steady progress, and its power and prestige had materially increased. The new shop assistants’ award which came into operation on April 1 Ith, 192-1, had been the cause of much friction and dissatisfaction. In it the Court seemed to have seized upon all concessions granted by large employers in the triple, and imposed them indiscriminately upon all traders. The must objectionable features of the- award which had evoked the strongest resentment from members working under it, had been the limitation of hours on the late night, and the substitution of age for experience in assessing the rate of wages to he paid to juniors. The compulsory c losing of shops at 8.30 p.m. on late shopping night conferred negligible benefit 011 the assistants, seriously inecmvieiicecl the shopping public, and inflicted a grave and unescapable hardship on hundreds of traders, whose business was almost dependent on their takings on late night. The position remained highly unsatisfactory. During the year the boot and shoe retailers had linked up. The main object desired ill the scheme of co-operation with the Employers Federation was iho ultimate handing together of all classes of employers, and .it was felt that many advantages would accrue p> the federation from a scheme of cooperation with employers’ associations in various parts of the Dominion.

The election ol officers for the ensuing year resulted: President, .Mr i’ercivnl White (New Plymouth); vicepresident. A!r Percy Hoisted (Dunedin) ; chairman oT Advisory Board, Mr W. Simm (Wellington) : auditor. Air W. E. Nicbollsc Palmerston North).

Throughout the year considerable work had been done in co-operation with tile head office of the Customs Department in settling disputes which had occurred over local decisions on the Customs tariff. The perennial grievance with retailers in all parts of t tie country of retail trading by wholesale firms had been before the Advisnrv Board on several occasions. The Wholesale Warehousemen’s Association Intel expressed its entire sympathy with the effort which the federation were making to curb the evil. A dinner was given the delegates by tlie local asesoeiation this evening.