SHOPS AND OFFICES.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 304, 22 December 1921, Page 9

SHOPS AND OFFICES.

BILL BEFORE PARLIAMENT. COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS. (By Telesraph.—Parliamentary Steporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Labour Bills Committee of the House of Representatives has reported the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill with a number of alterations. It has deleted a clause which would have permitted shops to keep open till 9 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday preceding Good Friday if assistants were to be given a holiday on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Monday. The committee also deleted a clause permitting shops at temporary exhibitions to be exempt from the half-holiday provisions. Various deletions in connection with the law governing employment of women in restaurants will result in the prohibition of the employment of womeii in these places after 10-30 p.m. A new clause empowers inspectors to allow shops to be open on the halfholiday for the sale of perishable goods if he is satisfied such sale is necessary oWihg to possible deterioration of goods, and providing that assistants are paid time and one-half, and are also given equivalent time off within seven days. A shopkeeper's children come within the provisions of the Act, but the pier of a shop who is himself the owner of the business may secure from the inspector permission to employ any one of his children, observing hours in accordance with the Act. A shop may 'be opened for the sale of petrol, oil and motor accessories at any time so long as it is opened only for that particular sale, t