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65
Shops Act, 1912.—This Act received the Royal Assent on
29th March, 1912, and came into operation on 1st May, 1912, and in
my last Report I dealt with subject of the complexity of its administration.
Mr. E. G. Simmons, one of the Inspectors who was appointed
for the purposes of the Act under the direction of the Medical Officer
of Health having been appointed an Inspector of Nuisances, was
succeeded by Mr. E. F. Hughes in February, 1913.
Early in the year (7th March), an Act amending the Shops Act
received the Royal Assent, whereby the provisions of Section 1 of the
Shops Act, 1912, were amended to meet the requirements of
refreshment houses.
The following Closing Orders and Half-Holidaj' Orders were in
operation at the commencement of the year :—
(1) Hairdressers' and Barbers' Closing Order, 1909.
(2) Butchers' Closing Order, 1912.
(3) Grocers', General Shopkeepers' and Provision Dealers'
Half-Holiday Order, 1912.
(4) Chemists' and Druggists' Half-Holiday Order, 1912.
The following additional Order was made during the year :—
(5) West Ham Bakers' Half-Holiday Order, 1913, fixing the
half-holiday on Thursday at 2 o'clock.
The proposed Order specified 1 o'clock, but a petition having
been received by the Council suggesting 2 o'clock, a vote was taken
in accordance with the provisions of the Act of the Bakers and Pastrycooks,
and the Order was made and confirmed by the Home Secretary
fixing the hour at 2 o'clock.
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