POSTPONED.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 738, 10 February 1910, Page 4

POSTPONED.

THE WELLINGTON EXHIBITION/^., •■ THE SHOPS ACT AN OBSTACLE^//.;"// "You are .• up against, a brick-wail," -. : " was. the. final "word of the Hon. J. : k..' '■'■' Millar to a deputation' from the ■'■ Wei. lington Industrial Association,."' which waited on him'yesterday, to learn.if-there. .' was a way out of difficulties plae-ed by ' the Shops and. Offices; Act in the'-way • .of. their projected : exhibition. : '. ';-.'■ •' .'Mr.'E. J. Bull, president of the asso- . ciation,, explained, that.it* was proposed/., to-hold .the exhibition in the Harbour' ~ •Board's /U ,shed .during-May and ' June, / but ■ it was necessary. to know. first if. -. the. provisions of,the Shops" and '.Offices ■■■} Act ■:. could be extended to : allow/ of.; the. ' employment of assistants after.G p.m.- : ~.-:.Jlr. Millar: Not without legislation;-V V: ' . Mr. ■■ Bull: And we can't get legislation.-;'■'" until-. Parliament meets. -.'; Section'«; ofthe Act, he pointed out/"empowered the i. Governor to. make regulations from time", to time by . Order-in-Council.. *' ■■'':'■ ■'.■>:':■■,'■■■,' Mr.'lfillarY No regulation /' could "bs >* made.contrary to , any clause of the Act. "*. Mr.) Millar : pointed ■ out that, a special; ' Act' had been necessary to override the : ' -"provisions of, the Shops and Offices. Act. . in- the case o: "die; New" Zealand, Inter-' •'. national Exhibition..' l :;-;. '■ < -•■■> '• ; ■';■■: .

.■.Mγ; ..Bull, stated that thoughi.the 'as-, sistants would be employed; after ,fi p.m... they would work only about, 45 hours'.*'' week, instead of 52 which- were' allowed by the-Act..'- . :; - ,; ■ c . ; ' .'.. Mr. Millar:'The hours are specified.to : ■ be. between nine : and : six; and -we have / ho powers to go outside -of that.'. ~ " '." ' ■Mr. T..Ballinger: The/only chance isV .to .postpone the ■exhibition, till a Vlater > date, . but, we ; were ' given the store' by i the Harbour Board; because this was; the' t slack season. ; ;;.':■ \'.v' ;• '"'^^v.hv.

In reply to a queetion, :,Mr. Millar stated J that Parliament would not• meet \ till the '■ ' end of; June.. He;..thought a Bill could;be'■•..' .put;-,through".within;three,.weeksiof; the t. ' opening : day. : .: ~'.;' .'.' ;!\.. : \',\ - v :v : .;,■'■ V i.Mr.H. H. Seaton: .;With6ut!;;evening..; work;, it-would 'be absolutely useless'to '; ! hold the exhibition.- .The object: of;^.the , ;. exhibition, was to benefit.' 'tae.'.'i'techiiical;. school, not. peouniary. gain., v V-,',;* r/'u 'Mr. Ballinger:' Can't- you instruct your'-' inspectors, to - take '■ no action ?. '■ ■ ■'■■'• ';V ■ ■'<(;;■'. ■'Mr. Millar: .I- could 'do:. that, : but/as/; soon as .the. public made'complainfel-! should have' to; carry; out- the law.: ,'lf,v you. could ' carry, it on with, assistance, we.could; not 'stop-. H.V-: ;'.'■.'';;• '..' 'Mr. Ballinger :' Oh, we could not wort that.. ■>,' ; - .'■.' /;..■;■■.'.■-;.■,.■:;■;;■.;.

; Mr. Millar said he' did'hot, expect any obstacle to legislation; if the store; could be ' got for: July or ..August./. JEIe ;wdnld get the opinion of the. Crown' Law .Officer, but:he:did not see'"any /possible/ chance of /meeting the position. without', legislation/ , V ':'■■..', /■.::/■.■;•• / ■■■,v:;-.....-^y;

■'■ : Immediately • after'the ' interview, 'with' the' Minister, Mr. Allen waited'upori,Mr;' H. E. Nicholls.(secretary:to.the:Harbpur! Board):; and :llr;,: Monro';. ".wharfinger), , and. after conferring' with thorn, wrote a let 'ter to ; - the, board asking that body ■ to: grant the .use-, of the: wool store' on the same terms as •previously'arranged.-.but for ! a later-period/, ; sayi:. from the middle: or ond.of; July and;running:into August MrJ.iNicholls promised to. bring. the letter .before the'.next' meeting, of .the'board::. : : : ; , -Mr... Allen sfetes',::. that /provided;'the. board- will -grant '.the' use .of ,'the■ store,he:will go:right/ahead^with'the .arrangements ;for.' the'" exhibition; as he'.is/coniideni '. that; there 'will ;be...no : .difficulty ''about, the /necessary/small/Act ;pf Pap;: ,liament.;i - .'. ;■ --v ■: :'/'\;.;. ...-~/;'T-'.:\- .','■•