SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 58, 10 March 1938, Page 8

SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—A report of some remarks made by the Minister of Labour in an interview in Christchurch with reference to the Shops and Offices Act, which appeared in Tuesday's "Evening Post," calls for some comment. The Minister is reported as stating that the agitation for the Bill comes from tobacconists and the big city shops, and the object is to secure the closing of suburban shops at the same hour as these shops, whilst he is further reported to have said that there is very little chance of the Bill coming down during the life of the present Parliament.

Now, Sir, I wish to point out that the tobacconists' associations have.no official contact with, and no knowledge of any agitation by, these "big nit'y shops," and that so far as the closing hours of all shops 'are concerned, they have never asked for, and do not agitate for, the arbitrary closing of any shops, suburban or otherwise. On the contrary, our efforts have always been directed to securing the observance of the provisions of the Shops and Offices Act. .

It is now, of course, common knowledge that in so far as its control of shops is concerned, this Act has proved an absolute farce, and that the anomalies thereunder are so. flagrant and widespread that they have reduced the law to contempt and ridicule. ■ So much so that it is submitted that the present Government, with a full knowledge of the facts, realised the necessity for a new Act to cope'with the evil, if only from the point of view of respect for law and order. '

It is realised that the anomalies are the aggravated growth, of past years and previous , Governments, and since we have no knowledge of the provisions of the new Act, or in what manner it will attempt to deal with the problem, we are anxiously awaiting its appearance, and the New Zealand Retail Tobacconists' Federation, as representing the tobacconists throughout the Dominion, has every confidence that the present Government will make n. comprehensive attempt to deal with these anomalies which ar,e proving so harassing to retailers generally. The

pessimism of the Minister regarding the probability of the Bill coming before the House during the life of'the present Parliament is not shared by. my association, and it is felt that there is every reason to believe that the measure will be introduced during the next session.—l am, etc.,

. A. L. KNOWSLEY, President, The Wellington Provincial Tobacconists' and Hairdressers' Association (Inc.).