GROCERS' HOURS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1179, 14 July 1911, Page 6

GROCERS' HOURS.

DISCUSSED BY CITY COUNCIL,

PETITION TO GO FORWAED.

The. City Council. lnst evening discussed the requisition presented by city grocers, and asking that closing hours should bo iixed as provided under the Shops and Offices Act. Tho By-Laws , Committee reported upon the question as follows:The committee have to report that ho petition received (asking for tho hours ot closing for all shops in which tho trade of a seller of groceries is carried on bo fixed as theiein stated) is signed l,y a majority ol the European sellers', but is not signed bv a majority of sellers of groceries if Chinese are included, and rccommwid that the matter be torwarded to the Department of Labour for their inlorination and advico prior to the *eal of the council being affixed thereto. Councillor Frost, on behalf of tho committee, stated that DO persons had rigued the requisition providing for the liuiitatiou of hours. Forty-nine Europeans and 52 Chinese had petitioned in oi)po<iturn to tho proposal. Tho latter were satistied that a majority of the European sellers-of groceries had subscribed to the limitation ot hours petition Councillor Fletcher said it appeared that the committee desired to throw the onus on tho Department of Labour. This was not a right position to adopt, nnd ho would move that the matter bo referred back to tho committee. Councillor Atkinson seconded. The only advice the council needed was on a wiur of lew. . ' Councillor M'Laren thought it would be best to seal the petition nnd send iton. At far as tho council was concerned it wiia in order. Tho Deputy-Mayor: "If we sign it we settle tho question." Councillor Hindmarsh said it seemed to liim that the object of the committee wna to bring under the notice of tho Government the absurd legislation that would enable Chinese traders to continue trading when Europeans wcro compelled to close. Tho City Solicitor stated that Section 25 of the Shops and Offices Act provided that upon requisition being presented by a majority of shopkeepers in a trade hours of closing might bo fixed. For the purposes of this Section the term "occupied" applied only to British subjects. The requisition under consideration camo from "sellers of groceries." Whether "sellers of groceries" were a trade within tlio meaning of the Section named, the speaker was not prepared to say. Only a Court' i\iling would determine tho point. The speaker hod understood that what th<> committee intended (0 do was to certifj that a majority of sellers of groceries had , signed the requisition. There was no need to apply (0 tho Department for advice on the matter. Councillor Fletcher withdrew his amend mont. Councillor Cauicrqu. said ho thought it would bo very unwise for tho council to send tho matter on as it stood, some of the members having signed under a misapprehension. The Mayor suggested that the opinion of Mr. T. F. Martin might bo obtained and the matter held over until next meeting. . Councillor M'Laron moved that all the words after "Department" bo struck out, and this was agreed to on the voices. A further amendment was moved by Councillor M'Laren that all tho words nfter "included" be struck out, and the following words inserted:—"And that the seal of the council bo fixed thereto, and tho same bo forwarded to tho Minister for Labour." The amendment was lost, and the report down to tho woid "Labour" waa adopted.