RETAIL TRADING LAWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18050, 27 March 1922, Page 4

RETAIL TRADING LAWS.

SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT.

IMPORTANT ALTERATIONS.

OPERATION FROM APRIL 1

The amendment to the Shops and Offices Art, passed during the last session of Parliament, comes into force on April 1. As several important alterations to the existing law are thus introduced, particularly with recard to the conduct of shops, the officers erf the Labour Department are desirous that all those affected by this Act should make tiemselves acquainted with it in its new form. The term " restaurant" is given a new definition, in that in order to obtain the | privileges in respect to the employment j of female assistants after 9.30 p.m., and j the non-observance o'f the statutory half- I holiday, the business conducted must be j exclusively that of a restaurant, except I where the " exclusively restaurant " por- j tion of the shop has a separate entrance i to a public thoioughfare, or, in other words, there must be one entrance for the restaurant and another for any other class | of busiress carried on. Another alteration is that boys under 18 years of a.ge, so far as hours oi pin j ;>loymeiit are concerned, are new plarcti ' in the same category as female assistants, j Neither cm be employed for more than a quarter of an hour after the tune specified for ceasing work, and only then for the sole purpose of completing any ■ work commenced before such specified j time. In no case can they be employed after 9.30 p.m., except on Christmas and , New Year's Eves. j Assistants' Wages and Time-Books. j The Act increises the minimum weekly ' wage for assistants, commencing at 10s : per week with annual increments of os per week, until a wage of 30s per week is reached. The wage can be increased by an Arbitration Court award or an industrial agreement Provision is also made allowing employers to retain three days' wages in hand until the next usual ; pay-day. Another important provision is that :he wages and time-book must be kepi, in j English and each assistant must sigi: the ! book when receiving his or her wages. Any assistant failing to sign or wiliullv signing a false record is liable to a penalty of £5 Shopkeepers who are I wholly or partially exempt from dosing I on the statutory half-holiday can, on a second convicti-m within 12" months for I a similar breach of the Act concerning ; the half-holiday, be ordered by the Court ! to close at 1 p.m. on the statutory half- : holiday for 12 months after the 'second ] conviction Tho occupier of a shop at either of the seapoits other than Auckland, Wei- I lmgton, Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers, may reopoii his shop on the half-holiday to sell goods to any ship arriving at or leaving the port that day, or to any members of the crew thereof, provided the shop is closed immediately after the Bale. I Harvest machinery establishments in any j town are similarly treated. Assistants employed in shops which do I not close on tho usual half-holiday must be given a half-holiday on one "dav in each week, and, except in exceptional circum stances, approved by the inspector, ; the day cannot be changed unless the I occupier gives the assistant seven days' I notice in writing. A holiday book must l>e kept in these shops and be signed by tho assistants. Shops Doing Diverse Business. Auction marts are now defined as shops, and special provisions are made for the consent of the inspector being obtained for auction sales of perishable goods onlv on the half-holiday. Shopkeepers in holiday resorts, where Saturday is the day for the half holiday, may obtain permis- ; sion from the inspector to observe some other day in each week in lieu thereof. Another provision is made which will pytbably cause grave concern to a certain class of shopkeeper, and thati is, in shops where more than one class of business \a carried on for which different provisions . of tho Act apply, such businesses are/ deemed to be one shop, except where' there is a separate entrance for each such i class of business, leading directly on to I a public thoroughfare. * I Shot-keepers whose closing hours are ( fixed by requisition must now send in a petition, signed by a majority of the occupiers of shops covered by the requisition, | to the Minister, if they wish other shop- j keepers to be prohibited from selling their < lines when they have to be closed. j j Miscellaneous Provisions of Act. |' Tho hours of employment in all hotels ' and restaurants are now to be reduced £ from 60 hours to 48 hours per week for s males and females. "(Restaurant " now ' includes any private hotel on boarding s he use, in which three or more persons • are usually employed other than the mem- ' bers of the occupier's family. t The employment of females after 10.30 '' p.m. in restaurants is now absolutely pro ' hibited, Lazaars and sales of work for l raising money solely for religious or chart- 1 table purposes are exempt from all pro- e visions of the Act. In any proceedings c in the Magistrates' Court under this Art t a defendant can now be called as a wit- f ness by the inspector and be compelled I to give evidence. " j i In tho past motorists have complained e that they have been unable to obtain sup- 1 plies after hours, but the new law permits e a shopkeeper to sell at any time motor 1 spirits, petrol, oil, or ractor accessories o that are urgently required, provided that c tho shop is opened for that purpose only, : c closed immediately tho sale is effected, arid c that the door is kept locked except for t the admission and exit of the customer. Ii; u f