EARLY CLOSING.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17127, 23 April 1921, Page 10

EARLY CLOSING.

v THE ''ONtMAN" SHOP. :_ APPUCATIONS rOR EXEMPTIONi i Sixteen further applications for exemption from the provisions.of section 11 of the Shops-and Offices Act, 1920, were made before Mr..S. E..'McCarthy, S.M., at "the Magistrate's -Court yes-' terday. . .",'.. ~": ".'". The section referred to provides for compulsory, closing.-of .shops at 6 p.m.' bn'four days of the week, the closing lt'l p.ni: on one day of the week, and at 9 p;m-. on : the late' night. <■< ■■■ ■■"■ •. MiviE. L. McKeon,-thei'chairnlan-of the Shopkeepers'- Union r )reiireßented that,body. Mr-T. G. Fielder, the/bmcerin:charge of the" Labour Department, and Mr R. D. Martin,' secretary'of the Shop Assistants' Union, were present in Court.- - -•-;-.,-. ,/•-•-■■ - Thomas Knox, riewsvendor,.Manchester street, stated that . his y average takings after 6 p.m.. were 30s nightly. Closing at 6 p.m. meant a big. loss ro "him," as.'ho ■missed all 'the passengers torrid'from thVferry ;traih..V,The railway 'station' bookstall, he ..pointed, oUt, was allowed to remain open." '..'.'"Mrs C. L.'.Cbtte'rill, storekeeper, 129 Stanmore road', stated'that she had four children'to su-pport.; Her shop was' in a Svovking'men's district,'and , 6 o'clock closing meant a-big loss tb her. Shops selling; similar .line's:;wefe peiy 'nutted to remain open. "•'-' - Agnes McCallum, general" storekeeper,-. estimated that she Ataß'losing £B. to'£lo weekly awing" to'having'to. close- at 6 p.m. ,' ' . '. r . ~"■; Similar.' application's .were'.'also '.presented by "John' Cffpstick. 1 '353. iselWyn street, Addington,. teneral grocer and I, greengrocery;' Leonard Coop'erV Fitzj geralcf avenue;' general "stoTeKeeper; Arthur John Jarrett,- comer "Of "Walker and Durham streets, storekeeper; .Ruby Myrtle Mills,'2 St. Asaph "street, storekeeper; Howard Robinson, Colombo; street,. bookseller and stationer'; Jane' Dawson, ' Stanmore . road, grocer: Thomas. O'Connell,. 103 .Fitzgerald avenue, grocer;'. Maria Farrell, 3UI St. Asaph stueet, grocer; Elizabeth Walsh. Bssex street, Linwoocl; -Mary Ellen Harding, 103. Riccarton road; George Dickenson, Riccarton rdtrd, grocer and storekeeper; Arthur' Frederick Molfose, Sydenham.. fancy.. tfoods," •storekeeper; Edith. Gray, Oolombb street;' Sydenham, drrmur. ";';" " ■.■ .' . Mr'McKe'on addressed the Magistrate; at "the conclusion of'tire hearing of the applications." ■ S : ' Mr Martin" denied' that thp'reoent legislation was the result of a'compact between the Employers'' Federation arid the Shop Assistants' Union." He submitted that-nonorof the applicants had pi-ovod that-closing at 0 p'.m.' would inflict undue hardship upon them. The amending Act requirecLan applicant to move "undue' hardship,"'; not mere hardship. ' '■ . , In reply to a question by the Magistrate, Mr Fielder said that the. following traders were not compelled by .law to close their shops at 6 p.m.:, Bakers, butchers, confectioners, dairy-produce florists, newsyendors, hairdressers, and tobacconists, fruiterer* and pork butchers. It was. however, the custom; for nta_ny small businesses to sell' goods outside their regular line of business.' He asked :f the granting of permission to a "oneman" shop would hold good 'in the event of a man engaging' <tn assistant subsequently. : The Magistrate'."said that as far as' he could see the Court had no. power to grant a provisional exemption. Mr McKebh submitted that a man who subsequently engaged on assistant would automatically forfeit his right to exemption. . Mr Fielder: That is so, but it doesn't sav that in the Act. The Magistrate said lie would consider the' matter - and give judgment in the course of the next day or two.