§ Captain JESSELasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the complaints of those chemists who, keeping a single assistant, are permitted to sell medicines which are urgently required, but are prevented from selling anything else under the Shop Hours Act; whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that if a chemist keeping a single assistant goes away on a holiday for a fortnight he is bound to give his assistant two half-holidays, and is thereby compelled to employ another assistant, who may not be acquainted with the requirements of the business; and whether he could see his way to introduce legislation for the purpose of amending the Shop Hours Act?
§ Mr. McKENNAI cannot trace any complaints on this point; and. as at present advised, I do not think any case is made out for amending the provisions of the Act.