The Ellesmere Guardian. SATURDAY, AUGUST, 1, 1891. THE SHOP HOURS BILL.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 931, 1 August 1891, Page 2

The Ellesmere Guardian. SATURDAY, AUGUST, 1, 1891. THE SHOP HOURS BILL.

As far a<j tho Lower House is concerned, M.r Reevesi' -Shop House Bill, with sundry amendments, has bacome law. When the Bill was first introduced, it was intended to apply only to shops m Cities and boroughs. This seemed to as, as we said at the time, manifestly unfair, and apparently our opinion was shared by a majority of the House, m asm«ch as one of the most important amendments to the Bill as originally drafted, provides for the extension of its operation to Tomi Districts. Doubtless i he amendment was well meant, bat the result will be far more disastrous to t< c cjuntry shopkeeper than the original Bill would have been to his employee. Its adversa influence will be especially felt m this district. Southbridge, for instance comes ah ler the operation o f the Bill. All shops m the Township, must be closed on tour days m tLu week at six o'clock ; on one day, at one o'clock; on one evening, at ten o'clock. A penalty of ten pounds is provided for breach of the law, and will, it is intended be rigorously enforced . But the Leeston shops are not affected, and may, if it so pleases their proprietors, keep open for twenty four hours, on every day m the week except Sunday. Should an enterprising trader open a store oufc3i<ie the boundaries of Southbridge, he may sail his goods at any hour which best pleases him. The result must be that Leeston will benefit to a oertain extent, at the expense of Southbridge. The labouring man for instance, who does not get home from work until six o'clock, is debarred from buying anything m the Town district, except on one night m the week. Naturally, if Leesfon is within attuoftbln reach, he will take to spending his even ing there rather than m Southbridge

Did the Act apply to both places, the custom r would have some ground for grumbling, 'iut he would soon got into 'ho way of making all bis purchases on the niglit oi which the shops wero open iii I m cis\s of emergency, would find toe ins of proem ing thesn m legal hours •m other days as \wll. His temporary nconvenience would be nothing compared? i) the br on to the shopkeeper and assistints. But we must strprtgly igainst the Bill as it stands at present. I Wither it should be remodelled to includeill places of business or rural Town dis fcricfcg should bj exempted, and W3 shall to much surprised if the Bill as aiiicn<l(d, pisses the Upper House,