EARLY CLOSING

New Zealand Mail, 17 September 1902, Page 71 (Supplement)

EARLY CLOSING

THE SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL

( The Shops and Offices Bill, which tho Government has introduced, is designed to deal with the early closing difficulty, which has been drawn attention to 'em moro than one occasion during tlie present session.

Tho important clause of the Bill in this respect is the twenty-first, which provides that upon tho requisition in writing of tho occupiers of not loss than three-fifths of all the shops in any borough desiring that these shops shall ho closed at a specified hour in the evening of every working day, the Minister of Labour shall, by notice in tho “Gazette,” direct that all the shops in the borough shall bo closed in accordance with the requisition. It is stipulated, however, that no requisition shall bo acted upon by tlr Minister unless the City or Bor'Council has certified that the sv

tures represent the occupiers of not less than three-fifths of all the shops within the borough. Tho requisition may be limited to any particular trade or trades, or may specify different hours for closing on different working-days, or an hour for closing on one workingday only. This clause will, of course, meet the case of the Chinese shopkeepers.

There is also an important provision in clause 15, to tho effect that if any person carries on any business exempted on the statutory closing-day in conjunction with a business which is not exempted, then he must close his shop entirely on that day.

■ In regard to the hours of employment in shops, a proviso has beemintroducect that every shop assistant employed during extended hours for which a permit has been obtained shall he paid therefor as much again as the ordinary rate, but this overtime rate shall not he less than 6d per hour for those assistants whose ordinary wages do not exceed 10s a week, nor less than 9d per hour for all other assistants so employed, and shall be paid at the first regular pay-day thereafter. The employment of women in hotelbars is prohibited between 9 o’clock in the evening and 9 o’clock on the following morning. In reference to tlie exemption of office assistants allowed to ho employed after office hours, it is provided also that a messenger or caretaker detained to attend on any such’ office assistant shall also be exempted frofii tho provisions of the Act-. Clauso 34 provides that an employer shall commit an offence if any shop or office assistant is employed later than half an hour after the time of closing. The remaining clauses of the Bill are of a consolidating character.