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and hairdresser, pleaded guilty to having failed to close his shop at 8 o'clock on four nights of the week, in accordance with the same requisition. As the defendant was a tobacconist and hairdresser combined he was fined £1, with £3 10s. costs. Henry Brittain, chemist, was fined £2, with 15s. costs, for failing to close his shop at 8 o'clock p.m., according to a requisition from chemists and druggists duly gazetted on the 21st December, 1905. E. Gallate, restaurateur, was fined £3, with 7s. costs, for failing to close his shop on the afternoon of the statutory half-holiday. (Defendant had sold cigarettes on the afternoon in question, therefore he was not exempt like restaurant-keepers solely from closing his premises.) John Milesi, fishmonger, was similarly charged, and fined £3, with £2 9s. costs. (In this case defendant sold rabbits, which excluded him from the exemption allowed to fishmongers.) Robert Pearson, draper, was charged with having employed five shop-assistants after 9.30 on Saturday evening. Defendant pleaded, as an excuse, that he was unaware the night was so far advanced. A fine of £2, with £2 9s. costs, was imposed. (Factories Act) : Messrs. Howden Bros., the Wellington Biscuit Factory, were charged with failing to provide sufficient separate lavatory accommodation for both sexes in their employ. His Worship, having visited the premises and found the accommodation sufficient, dismissed the information, with £2 2s. costs. Blenheim. —(Shops and Offices Act) : Wong Ming Hung (Chong Lee and Co.), Chinese storekeeper, was charged with failing to close his shop in accordance with a requisition under section 21 of " The Shops and Offices Act, 1904," duly gazetted on the 6th July, 1905, that all shops in the Borough of Blenheim be closed at 6 p.m. Counsel for accused argued that his client being an alien was not an " occupier " under the Act. The Magistrate said if this argument could be upheld —that the Act applied only to British subjects—it would be reducing the position to an absurdity. In his opinion a breach had been committed. As it was the first case of its kind in Blenheim a nominal penalty was imposed, 10s., with £2 2s. costs. Christchurch.— (Shops and Offices Act) : W. R. Cooke, High Street, and E. C. Dann, Colombo Street, both carrying on businesses as chemists, were charged with failing to close their shops at 9 o'clock on Saturday night as required by requisition duly gazetted on the 7th December, 1905. The offences were admitted, and defendants each fined 55., with £1 Bs. costs. W. H. R. Teape, chemist, was also fined 55., with £1 Bs. costs, for failing to close at 8 o'clock p.m. on four nights of the week under the same requisition. W. T. Dawson, medical herbalist, was also charged, and fined 55., with £1 Bs. costs, for failing to close at 9 p.m. on Saturday under the requisition. The defence was that accused was a herbalist solely. The Magistrate ruled that he was a chemist under the Act, and gave judgment accordingly. (Factories Act): George Moon, manager, Zealandia Soap and Candle Company, Woolston, was fined 55., with 7s. costs, for employing a lad under sixteen years of age without a permit. (The defendant pleaded that he was unaware that the boy was under age. The Magistrate remarked that it was the duty of factory-owners to ascertain the ages of all their employees.) Dunedin. —(Shops and Offices Act) : Chee Young, Chinese fancy-goods dealer, was fined £1, with 7s. costs, for failing to close on the half-holiday. Invercargill. —(Factories Act) : D. Manson, baker, Riversdale, was charged with failing to pay wages to two employees at fortnightly intervals, as required by the Act. Counsel for defendant admitted the offence, but explained that the wages had since been paid in full, and whenever the employees wanted them. The time of payment was immaterial to defendant. The penalty inflicted was 155., with 11s. costs, in one case, and at the suggestion of the Inspector a conviction recorded, without costs, in the other. March, 1906. Wellington. —(Factories Act) : John W. Easson, sawmiller, &c, was fined £1, and 7s. costs, on each of three charges, for —(1) Failing to report an accident that happened in his factory ; (2) for employing boy under sixteen years of age without certificate of fitness ; and (3) for failing to exhibit notice as required by the Act showing the hours of work, &c. Christchurch. —(Shops and Offices Act) : W. E. Christianson, fruiterer, &c, was convicted and discharged on a charge of having failed to close his shop on the statutory half-holiday. Defendant pleaded ignorance of the law, and on that plea was leniently treated. John Robinson, fruiterer, Richmond, was fined 10s., with 7s. costs, on a similar charge. (This man sold tobacco and cigarettes, which excluded him from the exemption allowed to fruiterers from closing their premises.) Dunedin. —(Factories Act) : Messrs. J. Romison and Co. were charged with failing to provide efficient fire-escapes from their workroom. The Inspector pointed out that he had given notice in that respect in April last, and the notice had not been complied with. After 'four adjournments of the case, to enable defendants to complete the work, the fire-escapes were provided. A fine of £1, with 7s. costs, was imposed.

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