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The Shops Act, 1934, has two objects. In the first place it
contains provisions for regulating of hours of employment of
young persons, that is, persons between the ages of 14 and 18
years, who are employed about the business of wholesale or retail
shops or of warehouses occupied by retail traders or wholesale
dealers, or employed in retail trading elsewhere than in shops,
such as in street trading. The effect will be to bring within the
Shops Acts large numbers of young persons who are "employed
about the business" of shops and warehouses, but to whom the
Shops Act, 1912, has not applied and whose employment has not
hitherto been subject to statutory limitation. The provisions of
the Act are however, limited to young persons employed in the
distributive trades, so that the employment of young persons
engaged in similar occupations will in some cases be subject to the
Acts, while in others it will still remain unregulated. For
example, the Act has no application to the employment of young
persons in offices, unless such offices are connected with shops or
warehouses. In the second place, the Act contains provisions for
improving the conditions affecting the health and comfort of all
persons of whatever age who are employed about the business of
wholesale and retail shops and warehouses. These provisions
deal with ventilation, temperature, sanitary fittings, lighting,
washing facilities, and, where meals are taken in the shop,
facilities for the taking of meals.
A survey of the whole of the shops in the Borough was
made during the early part of 1935 involving 1,094 inspection
and reinspection visits as to the observance of the provisions of
the Act.
The total number of shops inspected and particulars recorded
was 768, the number of empty shops being 15. The number of
new additions to the Register was 73 and changes of occupancy
were noted in 183 cases. Of the 768 shops inspected, 524 were
found to employ assistants, the number employed being as
follows:—