WEEKLY CLOSING DAY

Taupo Times, Volume II, Issue 98, 4 December 1953, Page 2

WEEKLY CLOSING DAY

RETAILERS AGAINST OPENING SATURDAY MORNING LATE NIGHT FRIDAYS At a meeting of Taupo retailers, held in the Taupo, Milk Bar at 8 p.m. on Thursday JSTovember 26, a secret ballot on whether shops should remain opem on Saturday mornings resulted In a vote of 25 to thirteen against so doing. The matter had been discussed the pfevious night at the annual meeting of the Businessmen's' Association apropos an announcement by the Minister of Labour that Saturday closing would come into force on and after December 5th. v * At that meeting Mr W. L. Haines stated that it was still lawful for shops to remain open till one o'clock on Saturdays provided penal wage rates were paid employees and provided shops were not open more than forty hours in one week. It would thus be possible for retailers to remain open Saturday mornings and to close on Thursday afternoons.

Mr W. N. Morris considered that as a poll had been taken resulting in favour of Saturday closing the retailers should abide by the decision of the people. Mr McLean and Mr Keehan concurred. Mr Haines said he did not wish to see the * business community split on thd matter. They should come to a decision suitable to all. Mr Anchor said it was seven years since the rest of New Zealand had had Saturday closing and it was time Taupo followed suit. He would pref er to see them agree to abide by the decision made at the poll. Mr E. T. Smith said he had raised the matter at a Master Butchers' Conference at Rotorua, and that butchers there were unanimous that they would never wish to open on Saturdays again. A motion that the matter be left in abeyance, moved by Mr R. S. Casson and seconded by Mr S. Kilford, was defeated. To testj the meeting Mr W. J. Stevens moved, seconded by Mr Casson, that shops open on Saturdays till midday. The motion was defeated. > On the motion of Mr Stretton seconded by Mr Stevens it was decided to call a meeting of retailers not only Association members, to discuss the question of opening or not on Saturday mornings. It was also decided that a secret ballot be held, and that Christmas and New Year holiday hours be also decided. The meeting of retailers held the following evening elected Mr J. E. Story, Mayor of Taupo, as chairman. Mr Story asked Mr M. L. Svensen, secretary of the Businessmen's Associaation, to read the motion calling the meeting. A letter received by Mr W. N. Morris from the Labour Department, Rotorua, was also read to the meeting. Mr; Ian Logan stated that he had that day been informed by Mr McGlone, of the Labour Department, Rotorua, that the only shops that could stay open on Saturdays were those with magisterial exemptions and that they must close all day Thursdays. Mr McGlone had said he did not think a magistrate would give permission for Saturday opening except possibly for a limited holiday period. There was considerable discussion of various aspects of the matter, including the question of what retailers should have a vote. Asked for a decision the Chairman ruled that retailers entitled to open on Saturdays despite the result of the poll should not vote. Mr E. T. Smith moved, seconded 1 by Mr| T. J. Keehan, that a secret 1 1

ballot be held as to whether shops should open on Saturday mornings or remain closed. The motion being carried, Messrs G. A. Acres and R. H. Ward were appointed serutineers and a ballot was held, with the result reported above. The matter of Christmas and New Year holidays was then discussed. It was decided that as shops would have to close on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at both week-ends, they should open on Monday in both cases. The matter of shops being open late on one night each week was then considered. Mr Haines moved Mr Casson seconding, that shops remain open on Fridays to 8.30 p.m. and on other week-days to 5.30 p.m., opening daily at 8.50 a.m. The motion was carried. The first late night will fall tonight, Friday December 4th.