11

H.—ll

LEGAL DECISIONS DUBING THE YEAE 1902-3. Apkil, 1902. Auckland. —Two cases under the Factories A*ct: One for keeping insanitary bakehouse ; penalty £3, with £1 12s. costs. The other, for employing two men more than forty-eight hours in a week, and for neglecting to keep overtime-book ; penalty, £3 (£1 each of three charges), with £5 costs. New Plymouth. —Eight cases under the Shops Act : Seven for failing to close on the halfholiday ; penalty in six cases, ss. each, with 13s. costs each; the other case dismissed, on the ground that the shopkeeper had one month to give notice of the day of closing. The eighth case, for failing to give assistant the half-holiday; penalty, 55., with 13s. costs. Patea. —One case under the Factories Act, for failing to clean and limewash bakehouse; penalty Is., with £1 14s. costs. May, 1902. Dunedin. —One case under the Factories Act, for failing to allow holiday on Good Friday (two charges) ; penalty, £2, with costs £1 3s. June, 1902. Wanganui. —One case under the Shops Act, for failing to close shop on the half-holiday. Defendant had evidently been misled by a judgment in New Plymouth, by which it was ruled that he was allowed to give thirty days' notice of the day for closing; but in this case, owing to living away from the premises, he was not allowed the privilege of choosing a day. Penalty, Is., without costs. Invercargill. —One case under the Shops Act, for failing to close shop on the half-holiday. This was a test case to decide whether a shopkeeper selling perishable as well as other goods should be compelled to close, although the ordinary goods were removed out of sight. The Magistrate ruled that, as there was only one entrance to the shop containing all the goods, the shop must close. Penalty, Is., with £2 9s. costs. July, 1902. Blenheim. —One case under the Factories Act, for failing to pay the minimum wage to employees under twenty; penalty, 55., with £1 os. 6d. costs. Dunedin. —Two cases under the Shops Act, for failing to close shops on the half-holiday ; penalty, 10s., with 7s. costs, in each case. Invercargill. —Two cases under the Shops Act: One failing to close shop on the half-holiday. As this was the second offence within six weeks, the Magistrate inflicted a penalty of £5, with £1 Bs. costs. The other case was for employing shop-assistant on the half-holiday ; penalty, £1, with £1 10s. costs. August, 1902.. Wellington. —One case under the Shops Act, for failing to close shop on the half-holiday; penalty, £1, with 7s. costs. Dannevirke. — Three cases under the Shops Act, for failing to close on the half-holiday; penalty, 75., with 7s. costs, in each case. September, 1902. Auckland. —One case under the Shops Act—two charges : One for employing female assistant more than fifty-two hours in a week ; penalty, £1, with costs 9s. The other, for failing to allow assistant an hour for meal; penalty, £1, with costs 7s. Wanganm. —One case under the Shops Act, for failing to close on either the ordinary halfholiday or on Coronation Day, a public holiday in the same week; penalty, Is., without costs. Wellington. —One case under the Factories Act, for employing girls on Saturday afternoon ; penalty, £1, with costs 7s. One case under the Shops Act, for failing to grant half-holiday to assistant; penalty, £1, with costs 7s. Pahnersion South. —Two cases under the Shops Act, for failing to close on either the halfholiday or a public holiday in the same week ; penalty, Is., with costs £1 Bs., in each case. Dunedin. —One case under the Shops Act, for failing to close shop on the half-holiday; penalty, £1, with costs 7s. Another charge, for employing assistant on the half-holiday, was dismissed. Octobek, 1902. Auckland. —One case under the Shops Act, for failing to close shop on the half-holiday; penalty, £2, with 12s. costs. November, 1902. Auckland. —Several cases under the Factories Act, for employing women and boys longer than forty-five hours in any one week, were brought before the Magistrate. He agreed to their being withdrawn on condition that all arrears of overtime be paid, and all costs in connection with the cases. Wanganui. —One case under the Factories Act, for employing lad on Labour Day; penalty, 10s., with 9s. costs. Wellington. —Four cases under the Factories Act: One for employing women overtime without permit (three charges) ; penalties, 55., with £1 14s. costs, on each of two charges, and Is., with 13s. costs, on the third charge. Two cases for employing women on Saturday afternoon ; penalty, 10s., with 7s. costs, in each case. The fourth case for employing lad under eighteen on the Sovereign's Birthday; penalty, 55., with 9s. costs. Two cases under the Shops Act, for failing to close shops on the sth November, the halfholiday ; penalties, £1, with 7s. costs, in each case.