1.—9.

92

[h. field.

A deputation of grocers carrying on business in Wellington attended the Committee. Mr. Field (Secretary of the Wellington Employers' Association) : I have been desired to arrange for a deputation of grocers carrying on business in Wellington to give evidence before the Committee. Some of these grocers are members of my association, while some are not. They will state their own case, and Mr. Wardell will make the first statement. Henry Wardell examined. (No. 91.) 44. The Chairman.] Are you a relation of the Mr. Wardell who has just given evidence ?—I am his brother. At a meeting of grocers held on the sth July the Shops and Offices Bill was considered, and the following resolution was carried : " That this meeting strongly urges that all shops selling groceries close at 6 o'clock on four days of the week, on one day at 1 p.m., and one day at 10 p.m." In the Act passed last session the shops that employ no assistants were exempted. We consider it only fair to the shopkeepers employing labour that this exemption should be done away with, and that all shops engaged in the grocery business should close at the same time. We think if that this is done the Act will work sweetly and to the satisfaction of every class. Ido not think any grocer would object to close at 6 o'clock providing it was general, and all shops closed at the same time. The Chinese are gaining a large hold on the grocery trade. They employ no labour, or if they do it is only labour of their own nationality, and it is impossible to bring them under the provisions of the Arbitration Act. They keep their shops open until very late at night. We earnestly urge the Government to protect the employers by placing the Chinese on the same footing with regard to closing-nours. If this is not done we fear that it is only a matter of time when the greater portion of the trade will drift into the hands of the Chinese, and the number of Europeans keeping grocery shops in Wellington will be greatly diminished, as well as the number of grocers' assistants. With regard to the hour for closing on the late night, we ask that it be made 10 o'clock. Our present closing-hour is 9 o'clock, but we find that' there is a rush at about that time, and it is difficult to get every one served satisfactorily, and we think the difficulty experienced will be greater in the summer-time than it is at the present time of the year. Allan Smith examined. (No. 92.)| 45. The Chairman.] What are you ?—A grocer. . 46. Will you go on with your statement ?—Mr. Field has stated that some of the deputation are in the Employers' Union and some are not. Well, lam not. This meeting is for grocers only, I understand. I have always been shutting my shop at 6 o'clock, and found it to be a great benefit for many years. I consider that, both for the employers and the assistants, from Bin the morning till 6at night are long enough hours for any one to work, and we can make our living from Bto 6. But, although I have been doing that voluntarily, I have always felt more or less annoyed when I have found that Chinamen and others were keeping open till 9 and 10 o'clock at night. Some may have had an excuse for late hours, but others have had none. Then, on the other hand, we found that the Chinamen, having a mixed business, the grocery people have more to complain of than they have in any other business in New Zealand. Owing to the competition of Chinamen and to the long hours, their keen cutting and their way of living, it is almost impossible for Europeans to compete, because they cannot live at so small an expense as Chinamen. You are all aware of what has been discovered in Wellington— that some of the Chinese shops are practically lodging houses. The Chinese pay no rent —in fact, they derive as much from the lodgers as enables them to get a shop for nothing, and consequently we cannot compete, pay our rents, and support our families on the same basis as the Chinese do. The only way legislation can meet this difficulty in our trade is by putting a law on the statute-book providing that every man who sells groceries shall be compelled to close at 6 o'clock, otherwise I cannot see that it is possible to meet the growing competition, in Wellington. 1 only refer to the grocery trade. Another thing is that we have a growing competition in the way of dairies. There is hardly a dairy now that does not sell groceries as well. The statute law will exempt them from 6-o'clock closing, but they are still competing with us by keeping open till 9 and 10 o'clock. If the trades are classified to show whether they are dairies or grocery-shops, w r e shall be put on a better footing and treated all alike. I do not see why, if other trades are exempted, the Chinese should be exempt. If they sell fruit, which is a perishable article, they should not sell groceries. We think 10 o'clock would be a better hour for closing than 9 o'clock on Saturday night, as it is inconvenient to close earlier. Now that the Labour Department has been so active, every man has to stop work at 9 o'clock, and the employers are left to do the sweeping-up at night. At any rate, 10 o'clock w r ould be more acceptable to us. 47. What you ask is that clause 3 should be enforced so far as grocers are concerned, wdth the exception that 10 o'clock be the hour of closing on Saturday night ? —Yes. Ernest Bolton examined. (No. 93.) 48. The Chairman.] Do you wish to make a statement ? —Yes. I wish to support the previous speakers with regard to the retention of clause 3. It is my firm conviction that if the Act is given a failtrial it will operate fairly all round. I have closed my shop since the Act came into force at 6 o'clock, but previously it was later, and instead of finding my business decrease, I have found that it has increased. When I closed at 7 o'clock I found that the bulk of my business was done between 6 and 7, while now I find that the bulk of it is done between 5 and 6. I have had a long experience at Home, and it has taught me that, whatever time is fixed for closing, the business is done in the last hour. The ladies will find that they want something at the last moment. I have had a knock at the door in the morning