CIVIL BUSINESS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 126, 20 February 1908, Page 9

CIVIL BUSINESS.

'- ' HOURS OF NIGHT PORTERS. • Judgment was delivered by Mr. Riddell - S-M.;- in the test case Lo Gron v. Alfred W • Harrison.' Defendant, tho licensee of, t-lit , . ■palaco Hotel, was charged'with failing - allow a night porter a half-holiday from two o'clock in tho afternoon of any working dayin; tho week , ending" 11, Tho object of the 'case . was to obtain a ruling as : toi.whethor/night'-porters^in hotels wero en-, .'titled;.under the bhops and Offices Act, to, 'a half-holiday from -2 p.m. t-ill''midnight- on- , one working-day in epch week. -A nightporter was generally on duty from 10 p.m. •( untir 7 a.m;, so that-his wbrk occupied part ■ Of. t'wo .separate- working days.-' . His'" worship"considered; that- tho section , "did .-not apply- to' persons/who, though' as-; ; -sistant-s,' were not employed during tho day. '"Tho half-holiday," tho Court concluded, " iiiust start from two o'clock in the after"liooii, and if a perjon is not under ordinary circumstances eiiiployed during tho afternoon of ativ working-day, how can ho bo on-, titled to a, half-holiday from that hour? . . an assistant from 10 p.m. to, 12 «. m". on ono night of cach week does not, in , : mv 'opinion, comply, with; a provision which 'enacts 'that all assistants. must' gtt a ;ha.lf-'holiday-.friirn ,two o'clock in' tho.afternoon.- , ,'lfi tho i'iectiaii 'is-'fiiial it must, bo construed' . - ■striotlyi" ,'ahd, hot in: any, way strained _in order'-to : ,bring:' t-h'o :, defpndant' within , its :■; 'wording., v I do not think it :s clearly applicablo to " -he present case. The inform*. . tion v niiwt; bo ... '■* Mr? Herdman appeared for defeiidant. v.. .