SMALL SHOPKEEPERS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 289, 6 September 1928, Page 10

SMALL SHOPKEEPERS

QUESTION OF SALE OF SMOKERS’ REQUISITES In April last a number of small stationers were granted exemption in the Wellington Magistrate s Court from the usual shop hours, enabling them to keep their shops open till S p.m. on ordinary nights. .I p.m. on Fridays, ami 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Subsequently it transpired that some of these small shopkeepers also sold smokers’ requisites, and many ol them received an intimation from the Labour Department that m such cases the exemption grunted would be inopertive ami they must close at the same hours as tobacconists. If they wanted to sell up to 8 o’clock they would' have to make a fresh application to the Court. Ou Saturday morning Mr. A. Lynne, secretary to the New Zealand Small Sliopkeepers’ Association, made application to Mr. W. G. Riddell for decision upon the subject, and its effect upon those who were granted exemption m April last, and yesterday received the tollowing declaration from the Magistrate’s Court. "A number of exemptions under the Shops and Offices Amendment Act, 1927, were granted at this Court on April 21, 1928. At that time the Magistrate was not made aware, that some or all of the applicants sold or contemplated selling smoking requisites. The Magistrate lias been requested to declare his intention regarding the scope of the exemption granted to such applicants who. it Ims been brought to bis notice, sell smoking requisites. "It is therefore declared that it any of tho applicants to whom such exemption has been granted sells any smoking requisites, then such applicant must observe tobacconists’ hours, and the exemption aranted on April 21, 1928, is subject hereto accordingly.”