Half-holiday On Election Day

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 236, 6 October 1938, Page 9

Half-holiday On Election Day

POSITION EXPLAINED Clarification of the position regarding the observance of the half-holiday for the General Election is made in a circular issued by the District Inspector of Factories (Mr G. Brown). The position is covered by section 128 of the Electoral Act, 1927, which provides as follows: — 4 4 (2) Where the polling-day at any election is other thau that appointed us the weekly half-holiday under the {Shops and Offices Act, 1921-22, the provisions of that Act relating to the weekly half-holiday shall be deemed to refer to the polling-day in lieu of the day so appointed, and it shall not be necessary for any employer to observe the. day so appointed in the week in which the polling-day falls. “(3) It shall not be necessary for any factory to close during any working hours on tho polling day, but the occupier of the factory shall hfford to each of his employees a reasonable opportunity of recording his vote, and no deduction shall be made from the wages of any such employee in respect of the time occupied in so recording his vote, provided that such time does not exceed one working hour. “ (4) Every person who commits any offence against this section is liable to a fine of live pounds.” 44 Factory occupiers are thus required merely to give their employees reasonable time to record their votes, but Dot exceeding one working-hour, without a deduction from their wages,” stated Mr Brown. 4 4 The occupiers of shops must, observe the usual weekly half-holiday in election week upon polling day, and in districts with Saturday lato night the late night may be observed on the Friday. In the case of those shops which are not required to observe a statutory closingday, fishmongers, fruiterers, confectioners, florists, dairy produce sellers, bakers, etc. (vide section 21 (a) of the Act as amended by section 10 (a) or the 1927 Amendment Act) the assistants must be given their half-holiday on polling day.”