I.—9a

60

T. SMITH

11. The tee is a matter of detail. You think the principle is a good one/- Yes, but I think it would be necessary to have a fee. 12. The object of the license -would not be to get fees, but to control the business'/ —Yes. 13. So that the billiard-saloon keeper would not be able to get a license to sell tobacco, and if he sold it he would be breaking the law?— Just so. 14. I believe that licensing is in operation in some parts of the world in order to keep a check on the shopkeepers I—l1 — I believe the license fee would be a good thing. 1 may say that the definition of " tobacconist "we approve of. It is the first time it has been the law. J5. The Chairman.] What, in your opinion, has been the effect of Saturday closing with regard to other trades in Christchurch J —Generally speaking, 1 believe it has been detrimental. It suits a few of the larger houses; but, generally speaking, 1 am informed —and 1 have a good wide knowledge —that it is detrimental to business in Christchurch, and if possible the majority of the business houses would go back to Thursday closing to-morrow. 1 am inclined to think that the reason is this : Christchurch is differently situated from any other large city in the Dominion. We deal with a large number of country folk, and the town depends a lot on them, which is not so, perhaps, in Wellington here. I think the greater part of the takings iv the Christchurch shops on Saturday were from country folk, but they do not come to Christchurch now on Saturday. 16. Hon. Mr. Massty.] Do they come on any day in particular) —No, not now. They used to come once a week, but now they may not come more than once in three or four weeks. 17. Do you want the Committee to understand that the effect of Saturday closing in Christchurch has been to prevent the country people coming to town as regularly as used to be the case I -There is no doubt about that. 1 have had several instances of it. Subsequently witness said—-There is one point I missed with regard to clubs. 1 could instance one club in Christchuroh that stocks as many varieties of tobacco as 1 do, and probably cigarettes as well. They are open from early morning till late at night. It is supposed to be only for the convenience of their niembeis, but 1 know for a fact that other people get their supplies of tobacco from there when we are closed. Tobacco is purchased there —on Sunday ii you like. It is unfair competition. There are tea-rooms also in Christchurch- -Mr. Woodward was at tea-rooms in Hereford Street yesterday where there is a huge placard up, " Tobacco and cigarettes sold here." They do not observe any hall-holiday or any time of closing; they are not restricted in any way.

Frederick William Woodward examined. (No. 30.) 1. The Chairman.] Whom do you represent]—In conjunction with Mr. Smith I am representing the tobacconists. I am treasurer of the association. 2. Can you lay before us anything that was not covered by Mr. Smith's evidence, because there is no need to gu over the same ground again : if you can bring forward anything new we shall be prepared to hear you? —I should merely like to emphasize the point about the great inconvenience it would be in the hairdresshig part of our business if we had to close on Saturday. There are hundreds of men who start work at 7.30 and 8 o'clock on Saturday who would have no earthly chance to get a shave on Saturday if we had to close at 1 o'clock. They like to be made to look respectable for Sunday. That is the main objection I see to it. With regard to the licensing proposal, the whole of us are in favour of it. In England they have a small license fee —I think it is us. 3d. per annum —and they find that the system works admirably there. Every one who sells tobacco has to pay that fee. 1 should like to point out, too, that if we had to close on Saturday night the chemists would be open; they are allowed to open from 7 to 9 o'clock, and they sell all our toilet requisites. That, of course, is only a detail. It is the closing of the haircutting-saloons that is the most serious part of the business. 3. Mr. Hindmargh.\ You sell a good many things, do you not, that are not strictly hair dresser's goods —for instance, studs? —Very few. We do keep a few. It is the general practice of the trade. We should be quite willing to cut them out.

John Beveiudge examined. (No. 31.) 1. The Chairman.] Whom do you represent?—l am proprietor of the Grand Hotel. Wellington, and I am president of the Licensed Victuallers' Association of New Zealand. 2. You gave evidence on this Hill last year?— Not quite on this Bill. The Bill has been altered from that of last year. 3. I think you gave evidence on the clause affecting you : that has not been altered, has it?— Yes, there have been several alterations. 4. We would like you to confine yourself to the alterations, because all the evidence that was given before is before the Committee and there is no need to repeat it? —Very well. Perhaps it, will be best if I take the Bill as it stands and take the clauses seriatim. Clause 4 (6) provides that the occupier of a shop shall keep a book showing in the case of each assistant " the kind of work on which he is from time to time employed." To keep a correct record of the duties of the different household servants would be quite a hardship. I think it would get over that if you inserted " usual." If I remember aright we had some controversy over this before, and the word " substantially " was proposed to be inserted, but we compromised on the word "usual." Then I go on to subclause (3) of clause 4: "The wages and time book in use for