THE HALF-HOLIDAY TROUBLE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 149, 15 June 1908, Page 4

THE HALF-HOLIDAY TROUBLE

SATUIDAY EMPLOYMENT 01'' TAIUIIiESSES. AX EMPLOYER FINED. At the IS.M. Court <m Saturday, liefort; Mr. 11. S. FitzhcrU'i-t. S.M.. ticorgc Orifliths was charged, upon the information of If. Willis, Inspector of factories, that on the ilrd ilav of May last. lifiiifr the employer of a factory within the meaning of the factories Act. lillll. ami its amendments, he failed to grant to two wouii'ii a holiday from the hour I of one o'eloek in the afternoon. I Defendant pleaded guilty, under extenuating circumstances. The Magistrate: What are "extentating circumstances'"; Tlie defendant said lie had been in the habit of giving his hands a holiday on Thursday afternouns for nine years past, and had been led by Inspector Donald to believe that he could choose cither Thursday or Saturday, so long as his intention was notilied to the inspector. lie mentioned that the Thursday hali-huliday was by far Hie j most suitable for his business.

11. Willis, inspector of factories, stated that on the afternoon of the !:Srd ult. he had visited Mr. Hrilliths' workroom and found two girl assistants working. He pointed out to Mr. (ir>ffitbs that he was breaking the law by allowing the girls to be at work, and defendant replied that be had seen something in the paper about an amendment to the Act which gave him power to give the girls a holiday on either Thursday or Saturday. Witness pointed out that this was so, but that the amendment could only be put into operation by a petition, and that it was not operative in New Plymouth. said it would be detrimental to his business to observe Saturday as a holiday, and further the girls preferred the Thursday. Witness then told defendant that he would have to report the matter aud tlrnt a prosecution would no doubt follow. Inspector Willis went on to explain that when he came into the district about fourteen months ago he found many of the factory employers were observing Thursday as a half-holiday, contrary to law. He reported the matter to "headquarters, with the result that a circular was sent out by the Wellington office stating that henceforth Saturday must lie observed as a half-holiday. Tin's caused a good deal of dissent" and representations were made Jiy New Plymouth and other secondary towns, and the Act was amended' by a clause being inserted which gave power to such towns to take a poll so that shops and factories could close on the same day. The local Employers' Association decided to set the machinery in motion for a poll to take place at the same time as the mayoral election. The poll, however, was not taken. If it were now held, apart from an ordinary council election, the whole of the cost would full upon the Borough Council, but that was no concern of his. Had the employers

been in earnest, lie thought there would have been no difficulty in {retting the petition signed, for it only rei|iiired 230 signatures. Some of the employers eontended that so long as the spirit of the law was observed the letter of it J did not matter so much. So far as lie could remember Saturday had always . been the compulsory holiday under the Act, although ho would not deny that a lot of factories had been allowed to observe Thursday. In New Plymouth factory owners were divided on the point."and if the Department gave way the position would 1m- very unsatisfactory. They would have the shops ami some factories closing <m Thursdays, and other factories on Saturdays. There was only one solution of the difficulty and that was by a poll. He tried to do his duty courteously and politely, and regretted having to bring respectable citizens liefore. the court on any charge. It was unpleasant for him, but he had to carry out bis instructions.

The Magistrate said a great deal bad been heard of this matter lately. The Inspector had stated he had to do bis duty, and he (the S.M.) had to do his. lie could not convict and discharge for these offences, lie must fine, and he must fine all alike, with the alternative of imprisonment. Some exception had been taken to him stating the alternative for non-payment of a line. He had imposed a verv light fine, morely to notify that unless the lines were paid the defendants could be imprisoned, according to the Justices of the Peace Act. The public, or a section of the public who had lieen convicted, seemed to 1«' displeased on this account, and diil not seem to recognise that he had acted in their interests, imposing only forty-eight hours when the Act provided for seven days. So. in future, lie would not name the term of imprisonment, but just allow them to take the altnnativo provided by law. which was as follows:—For a line not exceeding Ills, 7 dav«; exceeding 10s and not exceeding a. 14 days; exceeding .CI and not exceeding t's, one monlli; exceeding C 5 and not exceeding 120, two months; and exceeding .C2O, three months. Defendant was fined 10s and costs 7s.