NEW SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 72, 25 March 1922, Page 5

NEW SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT.

: IMPORTANT ALTERATIONS TO lAW. j OPERATE FROM APRIL 1. EFFECT ON SUPPER RESTAURANTS. HOURS OF FEMALE AXD BOY ASSISTANTS. ■ ' A number of important alterations made to the Shops and Offices Act last session come into force en the first of April, next Saturday, and as the existing Ibav relating to shops and people employed in them is materially amended in several particulars, both shopkeepers and their assistants will be well advised to make themselves familiar with the new provisions. Probably one of the most radical alterations, having a Aery far reaching effect, is the new definition {riven to "restaurant," tin: position noAV being that to obtain the privileges in respect to the employment of female assistants after 9.30 p.m., and the non-observance of the Untiitory half-holiday, the business conducted must be exclusively that of a restaurant, except Avhore the "oxcluah'ely restaurant" portion of thij shop has a separate entrance to a public thoroughfare, or, in other words, there must be one entratnee for the restaurant and another for any other class of business carried on. Another alteration is that boys undi-r IS years of age, so far as hours of employ rntrnt, are noAV placed in the same category as female assistants, and neither can lie employed for more than a quarter of an hour after the time specified for ceasing work, and only then for the sole purpose of completing any Avork commenced before such specified time, and in no case can they lie employed after 0.-'tl) p.m. except on Christmas and New Year's eves. Tin - Act also increases the minimum weekly Avage for assistants, commencing at 10/ per week with annual increments of 5/ per week until a wage of 30/ per week is reached. The Avnge can, of course, 'be increased by an Arbitration Court award, or an industrial agreement. Provision is also made for allow - ing employers to retain three days' Avagcs in hand until the next usual pay day. Another important provision is that the wages and time book must be kept in English, and each assistant must sign the book Avhen receiving his or her wages, and any assistant failing to sign or wilfully signing a false record is liable to a penalty of £ii. SHOP HOURS AXD HALF-HOLIDAYS. Shopkeepers avlio are Avholly or partially exempt from closing on the statutory half-holiday can, on a second conviction within tAvclve months for a similar breach of the Act concerning the halfholiday, be ordered by the court, to close at 1 p.m. on the statutory half-holiday for twelve months after such second conviction. The occupier of a shop at either ot the seaports other than Auckland. Wellington. Lyttelton and Port Chalmers, may re-open his shop on the half-holiday lto sell goods to any ship arriving at or I leaving the port that day, or to any members of the creAv thereof, provided the shop is closed immediately after such sale. Harvest machinery establishments in any toAvn are similarly treated. Assistants otuployed in shops Avhich do ! not close on the usual half-holiday must jbe given a half-holiday on one day in ' each AA-eek, and, except in exceptional circumstances, approved by the inspec- . for, the day cannot be changed unless the occupier gives the assistant seven days' notice in Avriting. A holiday book must be kept in these shops and be signed by the assi stents. Auction marts are now defined as shops, and special provisions are made for the consent of the inspector being obtained for auction sales; of perishaW'' goods only on the half-holiday. Shopkeepers in holiday resorti, Avhere* Saturday is the day for the half-holiday, may obtain pern>ission from the inspector to observe some other day in each Aveek in lieu thereof. STRICTER CLOSING PROVISIONS. Another provision is made which will probably cause grave concern to a certain class of shopkeeper, and that is in shop-? where more than one class of businessis eivYricd on for which different pro\ isions of the Act apply, such businesses are deemed to be one shop except yvherc there is a separate entrance for each such class of business, leading directly on to a public thoroughfare. Shopkeepers whose closing hours are fixed by requisition must now send in a petition, -signed by a majority of the occupiers of shops covered by the requisition, to the Minister, if they wish other shopkeepers to be prohibited from selling their lines when they have to be closed.

The hours of employment in all hotels and restaurants are iioaa - to be reduced from 00 hours to 48 hours per week for males and females. "Restaurant" now includes any private hotel or boardinghoußtf in which three or more persons are usually employed other than the meniDers of the occupier's family. The employment of females after 10.30 p.m. in restaurants is noAA" absolutely prohibited. Bazaars and sales of work for raising money solely for religious or charitalilu purposes are exe_c.pt from all provisions of the Act. In any proceedings in the Magistrate's Court under this Act a defendant can now he called as a witness by the inspector and be compeled to give evidence. Motorists will be glad to learn that it is noAV permissible for a shopkeeper to sell at any time motor spirits, petrol, oil, or motor accessories that arc urgently required, provided that the shop is opened for that purpose only, closed immediately the sale is effected, and that the door is kept locked except for the admission ani exit of the customer.