THE SHOP HOURS BILL.

Evening Star, Issue 8771, 11 March 1892, Page 2

THE SHOP HOURS BILL.

TO THE BDITOB. Sir,—Your leader in to day's Stab, whilst dealing with the pros and cons in favor of and against legislative restriction of the employment of labor by the passing of an Eight Hours Bill, does not mention* that most necessary and practicable measure passed last session of Parliament by the Lower House—viz , the Shop Hours Bill. The employment of females as saleswomen in retail establishments is greatly on the increase ; and why, reason asks, should it be legal to keep them employed for many hours per week beyond that allowed by law for those employed in work rooms or factories ? The oustom is an iniquitous injustice, which urgently demands legislative attention and redress.

The Shop Hoars Bill provides for universal closing of all retail shops dealing in non-perishable goods at six o'clock on four days each week, at nine on one day, and at oae on one day, and its practical application is not affected by any of the many suggestions mentioned in your leader upon the proposed Eight Hours Bill as possible results to either the labor or capital employed. The measure would give relief to many thousands of employe's, physically and mentally beneficial, and a large majority of retail principals would hail the passing of the measure with gladness. The main reason given by the Legislative Council for rejecting it was:—" Its passage would bring ruin to the small shopkeeper." This argument is a fallacy, which has been amply proved by the voluntary action on numerous trades, who, at the solicitation of the Shop Assistants' Union, closed their establishments at six o'clock (bar Saturday), in place of keeping open until nine every evening as in the past. It most also ba borne in mind this was done in most cases out of sympathy with the early closing reform, and also uno>r the belief the §hop Hours Bill would have come into operation at the beginning of the present year, compelling those who remained open to olose with the large majority. This has not been done; and yet they remain closed, although in a measure handicapped by those who remain open in our various thoroughfares. This suggests the question: Have the public given op evening shopping, or are those who keep open benefited at the expense of those who olose? Probably a large amount of talk is the result of the late agitation agaioat

re early closing, and unless the majority are shortly protected by legislation the old deplorable state of trade, with its competition in late hours, will be again established. There is no neoessity for this, and justice demands protection for the majority by the passing of the Shop Hours BilL Two years' hard work has been done throughout the colony, and borne good fruit; it needs now only to lay the matter again before the pnblio with the additional evidence gathered during the past year, and the public voice, together with that of those principals who favor the measure, will be more than sufficient evidence to induce the Legislative Council to pass the Shop Hours Bill. I hope, sir, that others will again take up the work so nearly finished, and that before another summer comes round the grand result may be obtained.—l am, etc., Help, Dunedin, March 10.