THE SHOP HOURS ACT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1194, 18 January 1895, Page 17

THE SHOP HOURS ACT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Referring to the comments in your paper of last week, there are still some differences of opinion. Take, for instance : A man has ten or twelve different businesses scattered over the Colony. They are under separate managements, that is, so far as buying or selling are concerned, but the books, accounts and correspond-. ence are kept at a centre office. Attached to the centre office is a shop for the sale of goods by retail. The men employed in the office assist in the shop if required. Now the time taken up in the sale of goods by retail might not be half an hour a day, or, say, not a twentieth part of the time spent in the office on work in no way connected with the shop. I think if a man be employed for a length of time every day in making up books, &c., not connected with the work of a shop, the, .place in which he works should be called an office. Some people seem to think they can evade the closing of offices by merely selling a few articles by retail, such as light stationery, &c. When your space permits would you give an opinion on the question. —I am, &c., Enquires. [lf people work in a shop at all or in connection with a shop, they are shopassistants by the Act; and therein the law consults the convenience of the proprietor and assistants alike. For if one part of a shop can be declared an office, then that part must be subject to a different arrangement of hours and halfholidays ; and that would be intolerable. As to the suggestion that people may evade the closing of offices by retailing a few articles, wo cannot see that such a thing is likely to be attempted. —Ed. N.Z.M,]