WOMEN SHOP WORKERS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5105, 25 March 1927, Page 2

WOMEN SHOP WORKERS.

HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT,

IMPORTANT DECISION GIVEN.

“This is finding guilty and hanging every female shopkeeper in New Zealand,” said Mr C. O. Mahony in the Supreme Court at Auckland on Monday in a case in which F. J. Gianett, fruiterer, appealed against a decision given by Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Ceurt in favour of the inspector of 'factories (Mr V. R. Meredith).

The appeal r-se from a decision by the magistrate that a young woman, who hgd worked in appellant’s shop after 9.30 p.m., had been employed contrary to* the provisions of the Sheps and Offices Act. The defence was that the woman was a partner in the business.

Mr Mahony said sub-section 3 of section 3 cf the Act, which stipulated that no female under any circumstances may be employed after 9.30 p.m., did not apply to the occupier of a shop, or anyone holding an interest in a business.

After hearing lengthy legal argument Mr Justice MacGregor said he construed the meaning of the section in dispute to be that no 'female whatever could be employed after the hour stated. This was using the word employed in the sense of devoting time or services. He added that the section clearly included a female occupier of a shop or the wife of the occupier cf a shop. Mr Mahony said that such a decision would have a disastrous effect.

His Honour said he had to administer the. law as he 1 found it, and he had given his decision.