RETAILERS’ INTERESTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 October 1921, Page 5

RETAILERS’ INTERESTS.

QUESTION OF AN ORGANISATION. LINKING WITH EMPLOYERS’ ASSOCIATION. A meeting of retailers held In New Plymouth recently set up a sub-commit-tee to gather information in reference to the working of a retailers’ associa* tion, and a further meeting called toj last night adopted a recommendatioi that retailers should join up with thi Employers’ Association. The proposalevoked a good deal of discussion. There was an attendance of about thirty, Mr. C. Carter being voted to the chair. The chairman reported that the subcommittee appointed by ' the August meeting had made careful enquiries as to the practice in other towns, and the replies indicated that in about* half of the towns communicated with there were separate retailers’ associations, and in the others there were retailers’ sections connected with the employers’ association. The committee had communicated with the Taranaki Employers’ Association, who had replied: “The executive is of opinion that the interests of retailers would be best protected by linking up with this association. Our rules would be amended to provide the following: The retailers’ section, which would consist of an retailers, members of the association; this would mean that your members would need to become direct members of the association. From this section would be appointed a special retailers’ committee, which would deal with all questions affecting interests of retailers. This committee would have two official representatives on the executive, and the main duty of these representatives would be to scrutinise the business carefully. and to have any matter which would affect retailers referred to the retailers’ committee. These representatives of the main executive would, of course, foe in addition to those retailers who were appointed to the executive at the annual meeting. In this way the executive would consist of a very large portion of retailers, and matters then put forward by the retailers’ committee would have the backing of the dissociation. THE AMALGAMATION.

The following resolution, as a recommendation from the sub-committee, was then moved by Mr. Carter: That we join up with the Employers’ Association and become individual members of the, same, and that all matters affecting the retail trade be under the management of a special retailers’ committee, and that such committee be representative of all retail trades in New Plymouth. Mr. Carter said there were some who thought that as the Employers’ Association was largely composed of merchants and big employers of labor, the interests of retailers would not receive the same consideration from them. This idea was not well founded, however, as the retailers were by far the larger body in the town. He pointed out also that if they formed a separate retailers’ association they would be weakening the Employers’ Association, and then there would be two weak bodies in the town instead of one strong organisation. The motion was seconded by Mr. A. S. Brooker. In reply to Mr. Gadd it was stated that the representatives appointed from the retailers’ committee would have equal powers with the other members of that executive.

Mr. J. Austin expressed the opinion that the sub-committee had- entirely lost sight of the main object f&{ which the first meeting was called, namely, the formation of a retailers’ association. The speaker proceeded to refer to the question of the half-holiday being discussed. “There is no doubt about it that is what we are here for,” he said. “The position to-day is that some retailers are suffering from the effects of the half-holiday ” At this stage the chairman ruled the half-holiday question out of order. In reply to the Mother statement by Mr. Austin, he said there was nothing unconstitutional about the proceedings, % as the committee were asked to make a report, and consequently were putting the recommendations before the meeting. A GENTLE BRiEEZE. The motion was carried, and Mr. Carter said the next step would be to appoint a committee. It was decided to form a comlnittee in accordance with the recommendation, and the following were appointed, the selection being intended to give representation to as many trades as possible: Messrs. J. Phillip, E. May. A. H. Bone, E. Gadd, Buckley, C. Arnold, Young, J. Lobb, V. Dalgleish, J. H. Quin, 11. J. Abram, D. Penman, and A. Howell. The chairman explained that the committee would be called together later, and would be asked to appoint a chairman and secretary and to elect delegates to the Employers’ Association. Mr. Austin asked if a resolution was not passed at the last meeting recommending that a retailers’ association be formed? The chairman ruled that this matter should not be re-opened. He thought that Mr. Austin was trying to get his own way, and to belittle the proposal. “At least.” he said, “that was his attitude some of the time on the committee, and I don’t think this meeting should be ruled by one man.” Mr. Austin: I think you are a very arbitrary chairman. 1 still hold that the retailers’ association should have been formed first, and 1 taae exception to your remarks about my doing anything unjust. The intention of the first meeting was to form a retailers’ association; there was no question about that. It has been shelved by this resolution'. but-it remains to be seen whether the new process will work out satisfactorily.

The chairman: I can’t help that.. I told you what the. resolution was; tne unanimous decision of the committee of which you are a member. Wo can’t help it if you were not at the meetings. Mr. J. Kenny expressed the opinion that to the bulk of the retailers the half-holiday was the whole question at issue. He asked what was the policy of the Employers’ Association in respect to this question. Mr. C. H. Wynyard said the inauter hail never been dealt with by the association owing to the diversity of views among members. The chairman said ho was following the question just as closely as anyone. He pointed out the recent announcement of the Minister in reply to Timaru representations, and lie said that, if the previous meeting had been allowed to run its own way New Plymouth would Lave met with the same refusal as Timaru.

Mr. E. May said he had received on undertaking from the chairman of the Employers’ Association to the effect that if the Saturday half-holiday proved a failure in New Plymouth, say within eighteen months, and the retailers desired to take action the.Employera’ Association would help.