HALF-HOLIDAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 275, 20 November 1935, Page 11

HALF-HOLIDAY.

SHOPS AND HOTELS. ELECTION DAY LAW. NON-OBSERVANCE PENALTY. A compulsory half-holiday will be observed by shops and hotels on November 27, the day of the general elections. Factories, however, will not be obliged to close, but they must allow employees a reasonable time off to record their votes. Section 128 of the Electoral Act, 1927, eets out that every day on which an election Takes place is deemed to be a public holiday after mid-day, and it shall not be lawful to sell intoxicating liquors in any licensed premises between the hours of 12 o'clock noon and seven in the evening. The Act also provides that where the polling day at any election ie other than that appointed as the weekly half-holiday under the Shops and Offices Act, 1921-22, the provisions of that. Act relating to the weekly halfholiday shall be deemed to refer to the polling day in lieu of the day so appointed, and it shall not be necessary for any employer to observe the day so appointed in the week in which the polling day falls. It will not be necessary for any factory to cloee during any working hours on the polling day, but the occupier of the factory shall afford to each of his employees a reasonable opportunity of recording hie vote, and no deduction shall be made from the wages of any such employee in respect of the time occupied in so recording his vote, provided that such time does not exceed 0110 working hour. Evft-y person who commits any offence against this section will be liable to a fine of £5. The occupiers of shops must, however, observe the usual, weekly half-holiday of the week upon polling day. In the case of those shops which are not required to observe the statutory closing day, that is, fishmongers, fruiterers, confectioners, florists, dairy produce sellers and bakers, the assistants must be given their half-holiday on polling day.