SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 58, 2 December 1926, Page 12

SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT

“ONE OF THOSE SILLY THINGS” MR. JUSTICE FRAZER'S COMMENT

Dominion Special. Auckland, December L

“A Chinese puzzle requiring a Philadelphia lawyer to understand it,” was the description given to the Shops and Offices Act by Mr. Justice Frazer, in t h e Arbitration Court, during the hearing of an application by the Hamilton Master Butchers’ Association for the revocation of a privilege granted to a Hamilton pork butcher. His Hon-

our said there was

a great difficulty Mr. Justice Frazer, in defining a pork butcher and an ordinary butcher by the wording of the Act, which left the question to be decided upon the preponderance of business done in certain branches of the trade by any man. The Act was one of those things that no one understood, nor ever would understand, but while it remained on the Statute Book in its present form the Court would have to administer it as best it could. As far as he could, see, the Act only went as far as to say that every pork butcher was a butcher, and every' butcher a pork butcher. It was noteworthy that one section stated that in any award relating to employment of shop assistants the Court may fix the closing hours of shops in the industry or industries to which the award related. The award under discussion related to butchers, irrespectjye of the trade in which they were engaged. “However, I do not think it is necessary for the Court to make a definite pronouncement in connection with the Act in a matter of this kind,” His Honour said. "Personally I would rather be excused. The Act is a Chinese puzzle, and is one of those silly things that needs a Philadelphia lawyer to understand.”