SHOPPING HOURS IN TAUPO

Taupo Times, Volume III, Issue 122, 28 May 1954, Page 1

SHOPPING HOURS IN TAUPO

DEPARTMENT CONSIDERING LEGAL ACTION The Taupo Borough Council, at its meeting on Wednesday, May 19, had before it a letter from the Minister of Labour, the Hon. W. Sullivan, regarding the statutory weekly holiday for shops in Taupo. The letter was in reply to one sent to the Minister by the Town Clerk, pursuant to a resolution of the Council, passed at its meeting on April 14, that the Council should write to the Minister asking for clarification of the position. This resolution was passed following discussion by the Council of an advertisement in the daily press stating that certain shops, not specified, would open on Easter Saturday and following Saturdays, and would close on Thursdays. Since Easter Saturday four Taupo stores have closed on Thursdays and remained open all day on Saturdays. Last October a poll taken in Taupo Borough on the question of the day to be observed as the weekly half-holiday resulted as follows: — Saturday 378 votes, Monday 227 votes, Thursday 95 votes, Wednesday 3, Friday 1. Prior to the poll shops had remained open on Saturdays, and had closed on Thursdays, exemptions from closing on Saturday haying been granted to shop-keep-ers on applications made by them to the Magistrate's Court. Minister States Position Mr Sullivan's letter, dated May 10, stated that he had read the Town Clerk's letter regarding the failure of certain business people in Taupo to observe the Statutory Half-holiday fixed pursuant to the Shops and Offiees Act 1921-22. His officers had already advised him of what took place in that connection at ijCaster, and his Department was now considering the question of instituting legal proceedings under the Act for the recovery of penalties. The Statutory Half-holiday decided upon by a poll of electors, and published in the N.Z. Gazette, No. 67 of November 26, 1953, page 1917, was the day which should have been observed. Exemptions by the Magistrate's Court, said the Minister's letter, did not entitle occupiers to keep their shops open after 1 p.m. on the Statutory Half-holi-day. Exemptions Under Act Mr Sullivan pointed out in his letter that under Section 21 of the Shops and Offiees Act 1921-22 certain shops were exempted from the provisions of the Act relating to observance of a statutory halfholiday. These shops were those wherein was exclusively carried on any one or more of the following businesses: — Fishmonger, fruiterer, confectioner, florist, dairy-produce seller, news-agent, baker, bookstall-keep-er on a railway station or wharf, and any shop wherein was exclusively carried on the business of selling motor-spirit, petrol or oil. In these cases the occupier was not required to close his shop on any working day. This provision did not affect the right of employees to a half-holiday from noon on such working day in each week as the occupier ih each case of each individual employee, thought fit, L(Continued on Page 2) M ||

SHOPPING HOURS IN TAUPO % t (Continued from Page 1) Further provision made in Section 21 of the Act, said Mr Sullivan, was, that in the case of any shop wherein was exclusively carried on any one or more of the businesses of butcher, pork-butcher, hairdresser, tobacconist, or photographer, or any one or more of such businesses in! conjunction with any one or more of the businesses mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the occupier might, in the event of Saturday being appointed the statutory closing-day in the district, close his shop, and give the halfholiday to his assistants, from noon on such other working-day as he thought fit, provided that he lodged with the Inspector a notice stating on what. working-day in the week he intended to close his shop instead of Saturday. A further provision was that the half-holiday should not be so changed to a day on which any other provision of the Act required the shop to be closed, unless an award or industrial agreement relating to the shop or its assistants so provided. • The Council decided to take no action in connection with the matter pending the outcome of the Department's consideration of the question of legal proceedings.