ANZAC DAY ACT

Hokitika Guardian, 27 May 1930, Page 2

ANZAC DAY ACT

DOES IT MAKE. IT A. SUNDAY ? i,By Telegraph—Per Press ;Association.) ROTORUA, May’ 26. ' A case of unusual importance was heard in the -Magistrate’s Court before Mr ,M. Pafei’sbn’, S.M. to-day. Several shopkeeperSowere charged under the Shops anct Offices Act, with -eeping open- on the statutory halfholiday in the week’ in which 'Easter Monday and Anzae'Day 'fell'. I! The Snops ar.cl Offices- -Act--provided that’ win.-re :shops ate dosed on two working days during the Week, they may’■•'remain open n the -day" of the statutory hulr-lioliday. A working day was denned by the Act as any day other man Sunday. • ’ "

The Labour Department contended that the effect of tne ’Ahzac Day Act was to make it as a Sunday, and therefore that it was hot a working day as' deiilied by the Shops and offices Act. - :i "

After referring to the various acts involved tlie Court decided, after quoting various Acts, to dismiss the informations, upon the grounds that the Anzac Act provided that the day should be observed as if it were a Sunday, but this did not make it Sunday, and the Magistrate, quoted from a decision of the late Sir AYm. Sim that >the effect of the Anzac Day Act was simply that, if anything had to be done on a Sunday, had to ; be done oh Anzac Day", and if a thing had not, to? be done on a Sunday, then it had not’ to be done on Anzac Day. This was very different to making the day a ;Sunday. . ;