Early Closing

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 2271, 6 August 1887, Page 2

Early Closing

** "•**; — : ■ ■ - There is a strong movement just now in Auckland^ih the direction of early closing, ef shpps7 A bill has been drafted, entitled The Shop Hours Bill, in which ~it, is provided that three months a_tor*_^<*t paising^ of i;t^:iAet§ by the General l-ssembly, shops in the colony, hotels licensed for the sale off intoxicating liquors, refreshmentliouses^ and newspaper offices, shell be closed except during the hours from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, but may remain open until ten o'clock on the .evening of Saturday in each week. Provided that on tne .day ; next preceediug a public holiday,. .shops may remain open until ten o'clook in the; evening. , Clause j *4j provides lit shall be an offence to keep, any employe in any shop , one hour after, the time of closing. Chemists may supply medicines, after ; hours, and , mail steamers may. be supplied with provisions, and requisites supplied in cases of sickness. The reason this proposed legislation is deemed necessary is because no agreement among employers, anent " early closing" has ever been faithfully observed by the whole of -the; parties, thereto. Either one or more have broken it, or if the, signatories abided strictly by its conditions', some oiit-V sider has opened a shop or store, and keeping open late in the night has thereby reaped a golden harvest, without opposition from the more legitimate and honest traders 7who" 1 have some mercy on themselves and ; those they employ^ • iW^j*|hop^7^; ; Bill will become-^aw. • Ih^t. pre-ieht form it is somewhat -crude, sadly wanting 'Mickin^^tpsh^e" bysome person experießcea^in^fhe law. Its T»<Bulia*-|j|p* vagu^- and jnsadly e^pressM in^o^e "^pnces, •< but the intention,, and main. idea, is thoroughly sound, having a good ground- work of common sense, _,nd therefore worthy of the support of all* tradesmen. _■_ -..-.' i'u-x.