THE LEGAL ASPECT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12713, 16 November 1904, Page 6

THE LEGAL ASPECT.

A WELLINGTON LAWYER'S ✓ ADVICE, [a? JTJiLEGBAI'H.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Tuesday. ! Spanking at a meeting of shopkeepers ir regard to the Shops and Offices Act, Mr. C. P. Skenett. the well-known lawyer, who was invited to idviee the meeting upon certain legal points of the Act, said he did not think that any reasonable person would dispute the statement that it was a high unjustifiable interference, not only with the'personal'liberty ol the sub-' ■ ject, but with the rights of everyone who had to bring up a fomrJy. {Choruu of

Hear, hear.") He did not think it wat in the * least) degree attributable * to socialistic tendencies, , but C rather . that it was influenced by quite the opposite causes. The , people themselves were in ft large measure tto blame. < ("No," and " Yes. ) Statutes of -the gravest import to a'community were' introduced into and passed by the < Legislature in the very lasi days of the session,* and if people were prepared to stand ,by year ■ after year and . see this J sort of thing done, then "he said they had , only themselves to blame.' (Hear, hear.) i He explained the effect of the Act in its ' separate relation to shops and offices. The meeting was concerned only with its effect upon 9 shops, 1 and he ' showed how in his opinion it would . operate with reprard to variously situated shopkeepers. He also gave advice as tc the manner in which the Act might possibly bo evaded. ■ He would not Bay definitely that it could be successfully .evaded. The matter required careful consideration, but there were possibilities, which he indicated, and which j the preen were asked not to publish. If the course be suggested was not feasible, then the matter was entirely removed from the arena of the law into that of politics and expediency. If they were aVe to make their grievances sufficiently felt in the community, they might be enabled to bring pressure to bear upon the Minister ; or the Government, which would have the , effect of stopping prosecutions. It was a j strong step for any Minister to take, but I public opinion might justify it. I For almost an hour Mr. Skerrett was plied with, intricate questions, covering various phases of the operation of the new Act. It was explained that as the meeting practically took the form of an interview between . solicitor and client, the opinions given were considered to be privileged, and therefore should-not be published. Incidentally several instances of hardship were indicated. * Replying to an appeal as to what they ought to do— the law straight out or protest— Skerrett said a law-abiding community always hesitated before wing to extremes. It was a serious course. Wilful ( disobedience of a law was not calculated to win the svmpathy of the public generally, and he did not advise that course. ' He preferred that they should procure the support of public opinion, and, wrrcied with that, appeal to the Govern- > ment for amelioration, iv the direction he ■ had previously mentioned.