Page 6 Advertisements Column 4

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 150, 22 December 1911, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL, The subject of hours of shop assistants dui'ing the holiday season is referred to by a correspondent, "One Concerned," who points out that Lhe Act says that shop assistants shall only work one evening until 9 p.m., and, yet" this week they are being asked to work an extra two hours on Saturday night, and also till 9 o'clock to-night. He wants ti> know why. The Shops and Offices Act, the Labour Department points out, provides that assistants may be employed until 11 o'clock on Christmas Eve, or, when Christmas Day falls on a Monday, until 11 o'clock on the night of the preceding Saturday. The Act also provides that on one day of the week assistants may be employed for eleven hours, instead of nine, which is the maximum on other days. It is, therefore, lawful under the Act i'or assistants to be employed until 9 o'clock to-night and until 11 o'clock to-morro.v night, unless the hours of employment arc fixed according to the terms of a requisition by the trade concerned. The holiday rush by steamer between Wellington and Lytteltoii has set in in earnest, and there are indications that the passenger traffic will be exceptionally neavy. The two steamers leaving for the Southern port this evening have been fokind insufficient to cope with the demand for berths, with the result that the Union Company has decided to despatch the Arahura for Lyttelton at 8 p.m. to-day. The vessel will leave Lyttelton on the - return trip to-morrow morning, and will arrive back at Wellington at 11 p.m., mailing for Picton, Kelson, and West Coast at midnight,' instead of 4p.m. as previously announced. A special tram will leave for Blenheim on arrival of the Arahura at Picton on Sunday morning. On the question of railway excursion fares, "One who Can't Get Away" suggests that the time for the j&sue of tickets might be extended to, say, 20th January, thus giving those who 'cannot get away early_ in the holiday season an opportunity of doing so later. "Very few," he adds, "can afford to spend more than a fortnight away from home." If his suggestion were adopted, such people would bo still able to return by 14th February. The Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, hae given instructions to the Commissioner of Old-age Pensions that tho January pensions are to bo paid on Friday and Saturday, 29th and 30th nist. ' The insurance on the shed and contents which were destioyed by fire on the Pelone Esplanade yesterday morning was £30, the policy being with the Ocean Company. The new Town Board offices at Upper Hutt should be completed in about three weeks' time. It has, been decided, on the initiative of Mr. R. H. Wobb', to hold an official opening of the building on a date next month to be decided upon, and a committee of the board has been set up to make arrangements. Settlers from all over the district, and particu larly the older settlers, arc to be invited, and the affair should bo a. very interesting one. t An audited balance-sheet in connection with tho Gear Meat Company's employees' picnic was submitted to a meet mg of the 'committee last night. It showed that the total receipts were £96 15s 4d, and the expenditure £70 18s, leaving a credit balance in the bank ol £25 17s 4d. It was decided to send & surplus box of toys to the Home of Compassion. Votes 6f thanks were passed to the retiring officer*— Mr. Aitchison (chairman), Mr. T. Townsend (secretary), and Mr. G. Bowles (treasurer)— for the able way in which they carried out theiv duties; also to Messrs. W. C. Bird and G. Davis for auditing, and to til© various donors of prizes.