SHOPS AND SHOP ASSISTANTS BILL.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8583, 9 September 1893, Page 6

SHOPS AND SHOP ASSISTANTS BILL.

All those .who desire to see the present! Government defeated at the next general election should congratulate Ministers on having succeeded in pushing the Shops Bill through Committee. This measure ie intended to catch votes, and its authors are uo doubt adder the impression that it will catch more votes than it will alienate. It has nothing to recommend it on the grounds of justice and equity. Shopkeepers are already compelled to give their assistants a half-holiday once a week. Bub this is not a sufficient interference with the rights of citizens to satisfy a meddlesome Legislature. It is now sought to compel' all shops to be shut! on Saturday afternoon, unless the local bodies fix anobher day. The interest, even the very living, of the shopkeepers, is of no importance in the estimation of the Government and / their ao long as they think they t)aa win support in the town constituencies. Any measure which tends to hamper trade, whioh gives occupation for Government inspeotbrs, and which imposes a penalty on people for doing something which is in itself perfectly harmless, cay even laudable, is a truly " liberal" ■ measure in the opinion of - the, dominant party in the House. Bub it is quite possible that the operation of the present Bill, should ib become law, will have results which will somewhat astonish Ministers and their friends.. There are limits to the patience even of a New Zealand community, and we say that the Bill now under consideration has already roused a great deal of indignation - amongst a large section of the community. There, are hundreds of small shopkeepers in every city who will find that this draconic measure l Will materially affect their small incomes, and they will feel that their welfare has suffered, nob in the public interests, nor for the sake of scouring to the great majority a eabstantial benefit, bufi simply in order to, promote the political ends of a so-called Liberal Government.