ARBITRATION COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13858, 22 March 1907, Page 3

ARBITRATION COURT.

A DISPUTED POINT. (Pun United Press Association.) CHRISTCIIURCH, March 21. The Arbitration Court has given a ruling on a point in dispute between the Christchurch hairdressers and tobacconists' assistants and the employers in regard to tho weekly half-holiday. The point, was, "Provided that a full holiday falls on any ether day of tho week than tho regular statutory _ half-holiday, are employers iustilied in considering that; such full holiday exempts the employers from tJicir obligation to give tho regular half-holiday for that week?" To this question tho court, lias answered as follows:—"If by reason of tho provisions of section 16 of ' Tho Shops and Oflices Act, 1904,' tho employer is not bound to' close at 1 p.m. on the day fixed as the statutory closing day, he is not bound to„ give his employees a lialf-holiday oil that' day. If, for example, Christmas Day falls on a day other than the statutory closing day, then the employer is not bound to give his employees a .half-holiday on the statutory closing day, Christmas Day ill effect- takes the place of that day. Tho same holds good with regard to other lioli-' days mentioned in clause 5 of the agreement, except Anniversary Day and tho Prince ui Wales's Birthday. Section 16 docs not specify these days, and its provisions would only apply to either of tlicm if it were a day which, pursuant to proclamation by the Governor, or declaration by the Government, or on the request of the mayor or chairman of a local authority, was generally observed as a public holiday or half-holiday."