SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT.

Wairarapa Age, 14 December 1920, Page 5

SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT.

IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS. The attention of all shopkeepers is drawn to certain amendments of the Shops and Offices Act introduced during last session, which amendments come into force on the first day of January, 1921. The most important provisions of tho amending Act are as follows: — (1) During Christmas week and yew Year week only one late night must be observed, when assistants may be employed until 10 o'clock p.m., instead of two late nights as previously observed (9 o'clock and 11 o'clock respectively). (2) During the week in which Good Friday falls, if the shopkeeper observes his ordinary late night on Thursday night (the night immediately preceding Good Friday), he must allow his assistants a full holiday on the following Saturday, while, if he chooses to observe Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday as his late night in that week, he need not give the Saturday holiday.

(3) The maximum weekly hours of employment of shop assistants is reduced from 52 to 4S. Notwithstanding any other holiday which may he observed in any week, tho usual weekly half holiday must he given. (5) The Court of Arbitration 1 s given additional powers in that it may (a) in any award relating to the employment of shop assistants, lix the hours of closing of all shops in the industry to which such award relates, irrespective of whether assistants are employed or not; (b) fix the weekly or daily number of hours of employment of shop assistants, clc. (f>) In all shops in the borough (excepting those specially mentioned under the principal Act) must bo closed not later than (5 p.m. on four working days of the week other than the day of the statutory half-holiday, and not later than 0 o'clock on the evening of one other working night of the week. For those shopkeepers who observe Saturday as a statutory closing day the late night shall be Friday, and in all other cases shall be Saturday.