THE SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2645, 23 November 1904, Page 59

THE SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT.

THE POSITION IN WELLINGTON.

THE PROPOSED TEST CASE. CFboji Our Own Cob respondent.) WELLINGTON, November 18. Now that the Premier has promised v,'hab is practically suspension of the Shops and* Offices Act pending th& decision in a test case, the agitation has i^uiet&ned. down herey." and most of the shops affected by the new act are ignoring its provisions in respect to early closing. Mr C. P. Skerrott has been asked to prepare a brief for th© shopkeepers, and raise such points as he considers are likely to prove successful- Its is possible that the litigation may be of a prolonged character, as the opponent* to the meaaaire are unlikely, if the ease goes against them, to rest content with a magisterial decision, but will carry the matter on to the- higher courts. In this case the early-closing provisions may become a dead) letter until next session of Parliament, when the act could be amended.

The only new development he-re is a resolution strongly in favour of the muchabused act, and asking Mr Seddon to sea' that it is enforced at the same time. Strong exception was taken to the action of the* Premier at Ihe public meetings in "praotically suggesting ways for shopkeepers to evade the law."

There is no foundation for Mr Arnold's statement that the vigorous opposition in Wellington is probably accentuated by the action of Parliament in throwing out two local bills last session. The objectors here, who number between 300 and 400, were perfectly serious in their opposition to the*act itself.

It was evident that the advices that the Shops and Offices Act is not yet in operation were taken advantage of by numeroustradespeople on Saturday evening. The grocers and drapers' shops, as a general rule, were closed, 'or in 'the act of closing, at 9 o'clock, but chemists, fruiterers,tobacconists, and hairdressers, etc., eon--duoted business as formerly. The public evidently did not know whether the act was in operation or not, and at 9 o'clock there were excited rushes for many of the; shops. The premises of some of the butchers, grocers, and drapers were so crowded when the hour struck that it was impossible in some cases to get rid of the people until a quarter or half-past 9.

At a meeting of the committee of th© Licensed Victuallers' Association at Christchurch on Friday „ afternoon the following 1 resolution was unanimously adopted: — " That the committee of the Licensed Victuallers' Association strongly recommendall hofcelkeepers in the Canterbury Province* to abstain from selling or supplying cigars, cigarettes, or tobacco during the hours" at which tobacconists' shops are closed under the Shops and Offices Act."

The Premier has forwarded the following message with reference to the butchers' position under the new acf: — "It has been held that where awards exist there is nothing definite in the act to show that they are annulled. Subsection 4- of section 4- expressly stated, so far as that section is concerned, that it shall operate subject to the provisions of any award of the Arbitration Court. Under these circumstances, in Wellington the butchers have not been interfered with so long- as they kept within that award. I understand from the Acting Secretary of Labour that the inspectors at Dunedin hava been instructed accordingly, and that awards are to be recognised. It may subsequently be held that the interpretation of section 3 of the Shops and

iices Act annuls awards, but until there is a ruling of the court the officers administering the act will act under what, I think you will agree with me, is a oommon-sense interpretation, and it is certainly a great public convenience that shops should open ■earlier than 8 in the morning, so as to facilitate the employees' working in accoidance with the awards of the court."