THE PROBLEM OF A BISCUIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 84, 8 April 1922, Page 19

THE PROBLEM OF A BISCUIT.

A woman was brought before the magistrate at West Ham charged with selling biscuits after S p.m. According to England's shop hours Act all shops with a very few exceptions must close by 8 o'clock. Confectionery, however, has been exempted from this rule and accordingly the shopkeeper claimed that the biscuits were confectionery and therefore she had the right t<J cell them. The prosecution refused to allow this and added that "good* entitled to be called concertain percentage of sugar." The maglsi trate ended the discussion by dismissing the case as an absurdity. During recent weeks there have been some curious anomalies under the Act (restaurants naturally are exempt), of which the followins are the most i-urious: A tradesman cau sell spiced beef after S. but must not sell an uncooked egg. A butcher may sell cooked pork chops, but not an uncooked one. A grocer may sell paraffin oil after hours, t>ut not salad oil. I Hot pies may be sold, but not cold once. I Cigarettes may not be sold after 8, but i! a man goes into a public house, has a glass ot beer and a sandwich, he may also buy a cigarette.