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Employment of Young Persons and Welfare of Shop
Assistants.
The Shops Act, 1934, contains provisions for regulating
the hours of employment of young persons under the age of
18 years and for securing improved arrangements for the
health and comfort of shop workers generally, including the
provision of sufficient sanitary conveniences, washing facilities,
accommodation for taking meals, and the provision of
suitable means of lighting, warming and ventilation. ,
Sunday Trading.
The general effect of the Shops (Sunday Trading Restriction)
Act, 1936, is:—
(1) to require the closing of shops on Sundays, subject
to a number of exceptions designed to meet the reasonable
needs of the public ;
(2) to provide for compensatory holidays during the
week for persons employed on Sundays about the
business of those shops which are permitted to open,
subject to exemptions for certain classes of workers.
Special provision is made to enable persons of the Jewish
religion to carry on retail trade or business on Sunday up
to 2 p.m.
Two such persons have been formally registered by the
Council and one trader was registered under the provisions
of the Retail Meat Dealers Shops (Sunday Closing) Act,
1936
The administration of the Shops (Sunday Trading Retriction)
Act has involved visits to certain shops on Sundays
and, in some instances, the keeping under observation of
shops suspected of keeping open contrary to the provisions
of the Act.
Systematic inspection has revealed that of the shops already
dealt with no less than 25 per cent, can lawfully keep
open on Sunday with respect to transactions permitted by
the Act and 33 per cent, may keep open on the weekly halfholiday.
Complaints.
Six complaints were received in regard to the alleged
serving of customers after the general closing hour and
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