SHOPS AND SHOP ASSISTANTS ACT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9954, 2 April 1895, Page 3

SHOPS AND SHOP ASSISTANTS ACT.

Auckland, Monday. To-day Mr Thomas Cotter, city olicltor, forwarded M3 opinion to the 'own Clerk re the Shops and Shop Lsaiatanta Act. Mr Cotter states that the Council, ia passing the resolution on Thursday Dlghti, requested the Mayor to do what in his opinion he had no power to do, as to proclaim a naif-holiday to be legally effective any proclamation declaring any particular day, or part of a day, a holiday, or a public holiday, or half-holiday, would require to bo made by hia Excellency the Governor, and not by the Mayor. If the Mayor, instead of proclaiming a half-holiday, Invites the citizens to observe one, then in Mr Cotter's opioion Bach observance by any citizens would not) make the time observed a pnblio holiday or a half holiday within the meaning of the Act. The Mayor will not incur any legal responsibility in issuing such an invitation, and if any citizen thinks fit to observe it, and then opens on Saturday instead, and is proceeded ngainat for so doing, the queatlon can then be raised and judicially decided as to the legal tfFect of such invitation and observance. The membera of the Early Closing Association are not idle in the interests of Saturday, for subscriptions are being gathered to defray the cost cf getting an injunction from the Supremo Court if possible to prevent effect being given to the resolution of the City Couucil relative to the proclamation of Wednesday as a half-holiday, or if necessary, to fight a test case. Thi3 morning Messrs Baehau and Dickson wahed upsn the Mayor and requested him to postpone the matter of making Wednesday n half-holiday, on the ground tbat there \\M be holidays on Good Friday and Kasier Monday in the different weeks. Tne deputation pointed out that by that time the decision of the Appeal Court re nnn and wife may be settled, and the decision of the Court of Appeal fiffec led the closing of 200 shops in Auckland. The Mnyor Informed the deputation that he conid give no decided reply. Oil Saturday afternoon in Kjran«ahaperoad, between Pousouby • nmd and Syruonds-etreat, 110 shops were open for business and 70 closed — a larger number of shops open thnn has been the ease since the Act was supposed to have come into force. It appears that the shops open for the first lime had discharged their as.-istant or as-eistantp, and were working the business aided by tdelr partner or wife. Councillors Trenwilh nnd Kidd waited npon the Mayor this moraine;, and asked him to declare or invite tlie tradesmen to : observe the half-holiday on Wednesday in I accordance with the resolution passed at ' the last! meeting cf the City Council. Tho ] Major said he would defer tho matter 1 until to-morrow. !