Protection for Workers.

Hastings Standard, Issue 98, 19 August 1896, Page 4

Protection for Workers.

The Premier's Shop and Shop Assistants Act Amendment Bill provides that the following shall be deemed to be shop assistants within the meaning of the principal Act of 1894(1) All persons in the shopkeeper's employment who sell or deliver his goods, whether such persons are at any time actually employed; declared by the Governor by notice in the Gazette to be shop assistants—and the Governor is empowered to make such declaration as he deems fit. With respect to hawkers or pedlars who carry on business by svliing or offering goods for -.il« ' •• retail or otherwise than in a shx-p ;he following provisions shall jivo!; ■ -(1) Every such person shall "'V' .'u- td to be a shopkeeper, and . Vfr. .v . .stant employed in or about sr.t h ieas shall be deemed to be a si itf -• rant witliin the meaning of the principal Act; (2) ©very such person shall be deemed to keep a shop open whenever and wherever for the time being he is selling or offering goods for sale as aforesaid. Section 5 of the principal Act, dealing with the penalty of keeping employees after frfuwra is auaeojlfed by substituting the in connection

word-, ' in the ordinary course of his hu-m. S'-ctii.n f> of the Shops and Shop Assistant■> Act, 1H95, is amended by repealing the word " closed." The pro\iso to section 17 of the last mentioned Act is amended by substituting the words, "each notice shall in lien of the words, " reqnisiting will," and also by substituting the word " Minister " in lieu of the words " Governor-in-Council." So long as such Gazette notice continues in force, every shopkeeper who fails or neglects to close his shop in accordance therewith is liable to a penalty not- exceeding five pounds. Such Gazette notice may be revoked or altered by the Minister upon a similar requisition to that pursuant to which such notice was originally gazetted.