AN ALL-NIGHT SITTING.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19138, 22 October 1927, Page 14

AN ALL-NIGHT SITTING.

SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL. [ LABOUR OPPOSITION. [THE PRESS Sp«el»l B«rrlei.] WELLINGTON, October 21. Through a Labour stonewall over the clause in the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill, relating! to the extra time to be worked before a shop assistant can claim his eighteenpence tea money, the House of Representatives last night and to-day went through the longest sitting yet held in the life of the present Parliament The debate commenced shortly after 10 .p.m. yesterday, and it was 12.45 p.m. to-day before the House

adjourned. After the cessation of hostilities at 2 a.m. on the provision affecting morning milk deliveries, the Official Opposition held up the clause stipulating that an hour over ordinary time must' be worked before the meal allowance will be paid, and the proposal that no allowance for a meal need, be paid when the assistant can, without any expense for locomotion, obtain a meal at his home within the . time allowed. Tho blockade, had been in progress for some time when the Minister for Labour (Mr Anderson) agreed to drop the "locomotion" suggestion, and, without entering into any guarantees, intimated his willingness to have another look at the clause dealing with the time to be worked. This, however, did not appease the Labour Party, who continued to describe the legislation as "petty," "discreditable," and to a wages cut. An attempt made at 3.50 a.m. to have progress reported, was heavily defeated, and an amendment that the clause be postponed for consideration was ruled out on a point of order.

A loud snore which shook the Chamber at 5.40 a.m., prompted the Leader of the Opposition to make the statement that the next time his Party had to remain up late he. would insist that every Minister remain in his place and stay awake during the sitting. (Laughter.) An even more resounding nasal reverberation interrupted another member's remarks at 6.30 a.m., but he smilingly observed that he had "noted the tedious repetition." An adjournment for breakfast was taken at 7 a.m. Upon the resumption of the sitting, the Labour stonewall was discontinued, but not before a division had been called for, the clause-as drafted being retained by 31 votes, to 16. Mr M. J. Savage (Auckland West) moved an amendment to the principal Act designed to increase fronf £2OO to £4OO the salary on which overtime iB payable. The Minister said ho would like to go into the matter in the interests of clerks who,would not be injured by the change. Possibly he would agree to raise the amount to £3OO. The matter accordingly was allowed to stand over. There was some discussion on the proposed amendment, by the Minister that where the weekly half-holiday is on any other day than- Saturday, the closing time will bo at one o'clock. .The amendment was agreed to on a division by 43 votes to 13. Replying to objections to the proposal regarding exemptions '-im closing hour provisions being.granted by Magistrates,, the Minister said the clause was inserted at the request of a "large number of shopkeepers extending from Bluff to the. North of Auckland, and he considered it provided the only way the small shopkeeper could keep going. The clause was agreed to on the voices. The remaining clauses of the Bill were approved, t' Minister promising to have sorm doubtful points looked into, with a view, if necessary, to having amendments made in the Legislative Council. Among these were the new provisions dealing with the sale of tobacco by persons other than tobacconists.

Several new' clauses moved by the 'Minister were agreed to. One repealed the definition of "Florist" in the principal Act, and substituted the following, "Florist means a person whose business is to sell flowers, whether fresh cut or mad •" up artificial flowers, pot plants, raflia, and florists 5 requisites." Another provided that the occupier of an hotel, private hoteh or boa.rdinghouse shall not seli smoking requisites'to any per.son other than a bona fide lodger therein after the hour or hours set out in

the gazetted notice. A third declared that for the purpose of determining whether ,or not any building dr place is a shop or a restaurant within the meaning of the principal Act, no account shall be taken of any business ■ carried on therein which, is not subject to the Act. It was provided by a fourth amendment that nothing in Section 40 of the Act shall apply to any female assistant over the age of twenty-one years employed in connexion with any dance, banquet,'or other, social function, or the supplying of refreshments to patrons in any public dance hall, if provison to. the satsfaction; of, the inspector is made for the conveyance to her home of such assistant on the completion of her work. Mr R. McKeen (Wellington South) moved a new clause to provide that every assistant in an hotel or restaurant shall in : each week. be allowed a holiday of 24 consecutive hours On a day or days other than the usual weekly half-holiday.

The Minister st: - ted that he would have the question looked into bv the Law Drafting Office, but was at present advised that it was not possible to carry it out. Personally, he was of the opinion that they could not legislate for all the exemptions suggested, without making the Act a holy farce. Mr McKeen accepted the assurance of the Minister that the matter would be further considered, and withdrew the clause.

The Bill was reported from the Committee at 12.35 p.m., and the amend ments made were agreed to. The sitting, which began at 2.30 p.m, yesterday, terminated at 12.45 p.m. to day.