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Hokitika Guardian, 2 December 1921, Page 2

A consolidation of the Shops and Offices Act was introduced by the Mi lister of Labour on Wednesday evening in the House of Representatives. The Bill also contains some new features, the most interesting being that dealing with the much discussed ‘‘hardship clause” in the previous Act, providing for six o’clock closing. The new clause provides that a .shopkeeper who employs one assistant apart from the members of his family may secure exemption on the ground of hardship, if he satisfies a Magistrate that it. is impracticable bv reason of ill-health or other disability for the applicant-, or a member of bis family, to conduct the business. Another new clause empowers shopkeepers where a shop is closed during the whole of Friday or Saturday and Easter Monday to key) his shop open and employ assistants until 9 p.m nil the Wednesday and Thursday immediately preceding Good Friday. The ■llill also provides for a minimum wage for assistants, this lining not less than Ids weekly, with annual increments of five shillings weekly until 30s is reached. It is provided that where there is an alteration of the houndary of a borough or town district, which has the effect of making the district portion of a combined district the coni hilled statutory dosing day for the combined district shall be-observed in the district as enlarged.