SHOPKEEPERS DISTURBED.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 25, 31 January 1911, Page 8

SHOPKEEPERS DISTURBED.

TWO GRIEVANCES. ' Members of the Wellington Shopkeepeiis' Association had a meeting of more than ordinaay interest this morning, with the statutory half -holiday, section 13 of the amended Shops and Offices Act as the principal topics. Various speakers complained that the legal provision for a leierendum on the half-holiday question once in two yeare was an annoyance to shopkeepers. Tha attempts to get signatures to" ensure a ■referendum and other activities connected with the movement to secure a poll of the burgesses had a disturbing effect, detrimental to shop-keeping business. It was decided to approach the Government, and protest against the continuance of the referendum clause in. its present form. Attention was ako directed to section 13 of the Shops and Offices Act which stipulates: — "Lvery shop shall bo registered by the occupier theiof with the Inspector of Factories in the name of one person as occupier, and, except in the case of a husband or wife, as the case may be, any other persons engaged in the business of the shop shall be deemed to be shop-assistants. In order to prevent evasion of this section, ! the name of the occupier shall not be changed except for some sufficient reason, to the satisfaction of the inspector." It was contended that this provision involved a hardship in the case of partners. A typical case was put thus : — 'A and B are bona-fide paitnera, on equal terms, but the registration of the shop under the Act, can be in the name of only one person. Suppose A's name is given. Then B is a 'shop-assistant.' A may return to the shop after 6 p.m to do a little ertra work on the books ov other important matters, with closed doors, but B is debarred from helping his partner on the premises after 6 o'clock has struck." It was resolved to bring this grievance under the Government's notice.