CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1428, 12 April 1905, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

(Per Press Association.) Cbristchurob, last night. The Premier arrived from tho North this morning, and was engaged during tho forenoon. Ho saw an exhibition deputation this aftornoon.

Five tost oases against Fail, a fishmonger, for breaches of tho Shops and Offices Aot, wore dcoided to day. The oases covered the employing of employees for 72 hours instead of 52, allowing insufficient meal time, and making them work after 2 o’clock on the day of tho half-holiday. Tho decisions wore all against the shopkeeper, who was leniently treated, except in one, where he employod a man for 72 hoars, whore ho was fined £3 and costs. Tho other fine was 5s and costs.

Later.—Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., gave a lengthy judgmant to-day in sovoral cases heard last Tuesday against G. B. Fail, who at tho hearing admittod employing assistants in his refreshment rooms for longer periods than allowed by Shops and Offices . Act, advancing in his defonce that a re* freshmeni room was not a shop. The Magistrate said there was no doubt in his mind that word shop in Act included refreshment room. Ho would treat the first case, that of employing a male assist- I ant more tbarr 52 hours as a test one and fine defendant 5s with costs for failing to give the male assistant one hour for each meal. Defendant was fined 20s with costs I for allowing the same assistants to work j after one o’clock on the half holiday. Ho I was fined a similar -amount with costs in I regard to the oharge of having worked an- J other male assistant more than 52 honrs. I ■The Magistrate held that though an I assistant was a shop manager he was not I an ooeupier under the Aot, and fined de- I fondant 5s with oosts.