CHEMISTS' HOURS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 136, 11 June 1927, Page 10

CHEMISTS' HOURS.

UEPUTAII UN TO MINISTER. SMALL SHOPS AS "PIRATES." SISTILU FAVOURED. A deputation representing the Auckland chemists waited on the Minister of labour, rue iioii. G. J. Anderson, yesterday aiternoon to diocuos with lum £.1 o-posed new biil to hx shop liours. Air. K. Lotlerali, presiuem oi tht northern .Pharmaceutical Association, JsKed uiat any eXLenaion oi the nours of small shops should be limited to t.iioee selling perisnabie foodstuils. The speaker complained that sniali shops «ere "pirates/'' and wiien allowed to •Keep open after the chemists closed, •vouid stock patent medicines and pills. The Minister remarked that he haa a huge petition on the subject down at eliington, but Mr. Cotterail maintained that this was the work of paid organisers, who were touring the country getting petitions signed. To Fix Sunday Hoars, Too. Mr. E. Smith mentioned that there was a movement to abolish the requisition system. He would suggest that 11 this were done with other trades the chemists should be allowed to retain it. One of their objects in interviewing the Minister, he said, was to ask him to include in the present requisition a clause fixing Sunday hours, which were at present optional.

Mr. H. T. King, chairman of directors of the All-night Pharmacy, asserted that that shop was quite sufficient for the after-hour trade of Auckland. He said that it wa3 not even a paying concern, and very few of the prescriptions they compounded after hours were really urgent. He agreed with the Minister that the hours of chemists should be restricted only in towns where there is an all-night pharmacy.

Replying, the Minister said that if the deputation would put its suggestions in writing he would submit them to the law draughtsmen. At present he was being deluged with petitions on the subject, and the Wellington chemists were waiting to meet him on his return. When ready, copies of the bill would be widely distributed, and anyone interested would be able to state his views before the Labour Bills Committee. ''There are three parties we must serve with the least possible inconvenience to anv one of them." said the Minister, "the public, the employers and the employees. ' The objection to the requisition 'vstem was that in some towps the small men would swamp the large, and in others vice-versa. The projected bill wa° based on sound common sense principle ind would, he felt sure, be approved of bv all.