SHOP HOURS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 983, 28 May 1930, Page 9

SHOP HOURS

MORE EVIDENCE TAKEN SEVERAL REQUESTS MADE The committee set up by Parliament to investigate the working of the Shops and Offices Act continued its sitting in Auckland yesterday morning. Retail chemists wanted to retain the right of closing by requisition, objected to the sale of their goods while their shops were closed, and considered that the magistrate was best qualified to deal with exemptions. Tobacconists sought a continuance of the provisions at present in force regarding the closing of their shops in the evening and on the half-holi-day. Retail drapers asked that the Act should be amended to permit of workers being employed to deliver goods after the closing hours for shops and also that the restriction of overtime for “special” work should be deleted. It was urged that automatic vending machines should be classed as shops and brought under the same closing hours. Several witnesses favoured the observance of Anzac Day on a Sunday and the fixing of a uniform closing hour for all shops. During the afternoon the sitting was continued and evidence was received from the Grocers’ Federation asking for uniform closing hours to be definitely fixed by the Act. The federation wished to see the control of Sundav trading transfered from the Police Department to the Labour Department and was definitely opposed to all forms of Sunday trading. The Milk Roundsmen’s Unioii asked for the fixing of a later hour of commencing employment in the morning and the prohibition of all milk deliveries before the prescribed hour. The union also desired legislation to fix a six-day week. The sittings will conclude this morning.