TOBACCONISTS' HOURS

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 77, 27 September 1918, Page 8

TOBACCONISTS' HOURS

A SUPREME COURT DECISION,

Judgment was given by his Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) this afternoon in the case of Houldsworth, tobacconist, v. Lightfopt (Labour Department), concerning the hours that tobacconists'- shops may keep open. It was an appeal on a point of law from a decision by tho Wellington Stipendiary Magistrate. His Honour first held that as to the requisition fixing the hours, the Minister had declared that a majority of the shopkeepers concerned had signed the requisition; that had been affirmed by- tho Wellington City Council, and that, in his Honour's opinion, concluded the matter. The second point was, what was the meaning of "evening"? No aid could be got from the statute, in which 5 o'clock was called "afternoon" and also "evening." His Honour said he was of opinion that he must accept the strict meaning of the word, and therefore there was no power to Sx 5 o'clock as the closing hour of the place of business mentioned, at all events in those months of the year when the sun had not set at 5 o'clock. The notice of the Minister fixing: the times of closing was not, so far as Wedneeday was concerned, valid, and the conviction must be set aside.