THE SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 83, 5 October 1905, Page 6

THE SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL.

REPORTED FROM THE LOCAL BILLS COMMITTEE, IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS. This afternoon the Labour Bills Committee) of the Legislative Council presented its report on the Shops and Offices Bill. The committea has made some extensive amendments. The repealing of section 3 of last year's Act is endorsed. Clause 3 of the Bill as it came from the House is struck out and replaced by this new clause — " 1) Subject to the provisions of the principal Act and to any award of the Arbitration Court, <i shop- | assistant shall not be employed in or \ pbout the shop or its business more than • fifty-two, hours in one week, or at any ! time after 1 o'clock in the afternoon on ' the statutory closing day, or after 9 o'clock in the evening on Saturdays in districts where Saturday is not the closing day, or after 9 o'clock in the evening on Friday where Saturday is tho closing day, or after 6 o'clock in the evening on any other working day, except in a shop in which any one of the several trades or businesses mentioned in the schedule hereto is carried on, but iii any such case not later than the horn 1 set opposite to such trade or business in the said schedule : Provided that no shop-assistant engaged in any such trade or business shall be employed therein for more than fifty -two hours in any one week: Provided also that no female assistant (other than the wife or members of the occupier's family) shall be employed in any shop after 9 o'clock at night except on Saturday nights, Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve. (2) If any shop-assistant is employed at any work in connection with the business of any shop later tlian half an hour after the 'time prescribed by this section, tho employer commits an offence in respect j of each shop-assistunt so employed. (3) 'The definitions contained in paragraph (a) of section 15 of tho principal Act shall extend and apply to this section, and in addition thereto it is hereby declared that for the pui poses of this section : A ' dairy-produce seller ' means a person who sells milk, cream, eggs, or butter." Another new clause reads: — "No shop assistant shall be employed in or about the business of any shop before the how of four o'clock in the morning in the case of beikeis, butchers, and milkmen, or seven x o'clock in the morning in any other case." The clause making rabbit-selling constitute fishmongering is deleted.Tho clause about overtime in excepted offices is thrown out and the provision I as to which are excepted offices is amended so as to add harbour boards and banks and delete insurance companies. Clause 10 iJTamehdeHcTread : "iN'otliing in tho principal Act or this Act shall render it unlawful for the occupier of any shop to employ his assistants till eleven o'clock at night on Christmas Eve or Now Year's Eve ; or when Christinas Day and Now Year's Day fajl on Monday, then till eleven o'clock at night on tho Saturday preceding those days." Tho schedules are stiuck out and a new I schedule fixing hours for each class is substituted. Bakers, confectioners, fishmongers, fruitereis, and refreshment room, keepers are to close at 10.30 p.m. on the half-holiday, at 11 p.m. on one other day, and 10.30 p.m. on all other working days. Tho hours for butchers and dairy p'roduco tellers, are 1 p.m., 10 p.m., and 6 p.m. re- j spectively ; ifor booksellers, florists, hairdressers, tobacconists, and newsagents 1 p.m., 10 p.m., and 8 p.m. ; for chemists tho hours aro. 1 p.m., 9 p.m., and 8 p.m., for pork butcher.s 1 p.m., 11 pan., and 10.30 p.m. respectively in the three cases of "holiday," "lute night," and "other days." The report will be considered on Tuesday. Between thii'ly and forty members attended the monthly meeting of the Hutt Valley Horticultural Society on Tuesday ev.ening Jabt. Dr. Pony, President of the Society, gave a, very interesting address on "Bulbs and Their Culture," illustrating his subject with some excellent blooms of now and late varieties of narcissi. The information conveyed was much appreciated by members, n number of ■whom ,tpok part in the discussion which followed. Messrs. C. H. Tieadwcll, O. M. Mason, and F. Evans ajfao gave their experiences and advice in cultivating various specie*. I)r, Perry was accorded a hearty vote of th inlcs for 'his lecture. Mr. <i. A. Chapman oxhibitcd two be.uitiful sneci-men-i of Afiican lilies in bloom, which were much admired. Subsequently a committee meeting was held, and accounts in connection with the late Spring Show were passed for payment, and a sub-committee was set up to arrange for an exhibition of rosSs to be held in the local hall, in pluce of the, next monthly meeting. The competition is to be limited to members of the Society, and the &how will only be open to members mid their friends. Trophies will hu allotted for the various varieties. Roseneath residents nro notifitd that tho temperance meeting announced for to-night has been postponed. Mossrß. 11. Fioldor and Co., Manner*street, have an insot in this ibbiio fihowinir tlm reductions that will bo modo at their half-yearly clearing sale, which commences to-morrow. Thin firm Vlaim to mako a. speciality of their clearing Bairn, and us it j 8 room they rcquiro in this iimtaiieo llioy promise special prices for tho next fuw weeks. Messrs M'Ewon and Curler, of Polono general carriers and forwarding agents, insert a business nolieo. Ordor« may b<? loft at Yirtuu and Co 'h, Viploria-slrrrt, \\'n\liuglon, The head ofßcu at Pntouo i» connected with WnDiiwlott hy. telojjhono.