SHOP WORKING CONDITIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 December 1938, Page 6

SHOP WORKING CONDITIONS

(To the Editor) Sir, —Our city fathers claim that Masterton is a clean, healthy town. The Borough Sanitary Inspector is very just and exacting in attention to his duties. But what of some of our shops on a hot Friday night? On occasions when I am asked to accompany the wife through some of these shops I find the conditions so bad that I am compelled to desert her ladyship, and make for the open air. It cannot be said that they are all unhealthy, but some in this respect are bad, and some, well, very bad. I wish to ask, Sir, who is responsible for the working conditions of shop assistants. Is it the Labour Department, or the Health Department? I sometimes think that shop assistants, among other workers, are backward in asking for reasonable working conditions. Maybe if the shop assistants had a union in Masterton, their officers could take this matter up with the shopkeepers or the Department responsible.' It certainly requires the attention of some authority—Yours, etc, —KAUMATUA.

The conditions existing in shops come Under the jurisdiction of the Labour Department, and are governed by the provisions of the Shops and Offices Act. Mr E. G. Sherrock, district inspector of factories and awards, stated this morning, when the above letter was referred to him, that there was provision in the Shops and Offices Act that shops or offices shall not be overcrowded so as injuriously to affect the health of any person employed therein, and that shops are required to be ventilated in such a manner' as to provide sufficient fresh air. If a specific complaint were made to him him he would investigate the matter.