REFRESHMENT ROOMS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 33, 9 February 1904, Page 2

REFRESHMENT ROOMS.

Itestaifrai>t--.keepc-rs are not generally aware, perhaps, tlmt assistants En refreshment rooms are subject to tlie provisions of tlu; Factories Act. Duslin, confectioner at Wangiamii wia-s ulnbonscicyus of Litis fact „,itii a few 'days ag>o, \v]mi> he was mm. mimed to the Magistrate's Court, on a charge tlmt ljt-in, ff a shop-keeper within the meaning of "The Shop and Stop Assistants Act, 18!W,"aud H« amendments, he did on Saturday, Jan. 18, employ seven women for'a Jonger period than nin« and a half

hours, excluding meal times, the s.iid women liaving been employed in the same shop on one other day in the week for a longer period than nine hours ami a half excluding meal times, the lnopeclor not having consented to the said women being cmployed for a furtilier period for the purpose of stock-taiking. He was also changed with refusing to allow the same employees one hour lor dinner. Defendant was further charged with employing seven women for a longer period than 52 hours oxeluding meal times. 'Pile prosecution raid that n heavy penalty was not required as the defendant had been ignorant of the provisions cvf the Act. A line of Is aiul costs was imposed. During the hearing of the case. Mr Kettle, S.M., said it \spuld take a P'hila«lel|.|lriu lawyer to interpret the laws relating to factories, a nil he could quite understand t'he defendant's inability to grasp tliem. He thought the various Acts should be consolidated, and suggested that the Inspector might hold sehomls for the purpose of teaching employers- liow to interpret the Acts. Mr Marshall interposed with the remark that the Court was a better | school, as they would pay more attention there. Probably this would ho Mr Austin's opinion, after being mulcted in a penalty amounting to (id for what were admitted by &11 to be very trivial breaches of the Act.