CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 139, 9 December 1924, Page 6

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

THE WEEKLY HALF-HOLIDAY

SHOPKEEPERS' OBLIGATIONS,

The question as to whether shopkeepers may keep their premises open on Satday afternoon during Christmas and New Year weeks has raised a point of doubt in the minds of some retailers and shop assistants, and inquiries were made this morning as to the exact position. It appears that no general rule applies, but that the question depends upon tho position of the trades affected so far as they_ are bound by awards of tho Arbitration Court or the law.. In cases where an award or industrial agreement is applicable the position is clearly defined by section 26, clause (3) of tho Shops and Offices Act, which provides that:—"Where in any week a shop is closed and no assistants are employed during the whole of any two days other than -the \ day > observed as the statutory closing day, this shall be deemed to be a sufficient compliance for that week with the requirements of this Act relating to the weekly half-holiday." This clearly covers Christmas Day and Boxing Day, which both fall within tho same week, and it would not bo necessary to observe Saturday half-holiday in that week. Where, however, there is an award or industrial agreement in force of making a different provision, it may bo necessary, according to the wording of the award, to observe the usual halfholiday in addition to the two. whole holidays. Some awards state definitely th^fc shops shall not be closed, or that assistants shall not be employed on a Saturday • afternoon, without specifying any exception for Christmas and New if ear weeks, and in these cases that provision must, be complied with. Other awards provide merely that shops shall be closed in every week of the year on the weekly half-holiday. In these cases the day of the weekly'half-holiday must be ascertained from the Act, and as already explainer] the half-holiday is deemed to have been observed if the shops have been closed'for two whole days in "the week. In other words, the half-holiday is merged into those two days.

It is necessary, therefore, for each shopkeeper to judge the position so far as he is concerned according to whether he is bound by an award or not, and as to whether a particular provision is contained in the award.

Apart from the question of observance of holidays during ( the Christmas and Aew Year period, an interesting point has been raised as to whether Anmversary Day, 22nd January, which falls this_ year on a Thursday, may he Mondayised," as is done in the case of somo other general holidays. The only holidays in the year that may bo observed on Monday, in order to make them consecutive with the ordinary week-end_ closing days, are Dominion Bay, which is observed on the fourth Monday in September, and Labour Day which is celebrated on the fourth Monday in October. Anniversary Day is not affected.