BY-LAW RELATING TO THE CLOSING OF SHOPS IN THE TOWN OF WELLAND

[Welland Telegraph, 7 August 1891]

Whereas in pursuance of the Act to regulate the closing of shops and the hours of labor therein for children and young persons, Chapter 33 of the Statutes of Ontario, 1888, an application signed by three-fourths in number of the occupiers of shops in the said Town of Welland, belonging to each of the classes specified in the said application, that is to say: Grocers, boot and shoe merchants, dry goods merchants, chemists and druggists, dealers in millinery, jewellers, woolen merchants, booksellers, merchant tailors, stove dealers, tinsmiths, harness makers, dealers in leather, undertakers, dealers in furniture, hardware merchants, bakers and confectioners, butchers and general merchants, was presented to the municipal council of said Town of Welland, on the Sixth day of July 1891, praying for the passing of a by-law under the above recited Act, requiring the closing of all shops belonging to the said aforementioned classes in the said Town of Welland, at the hour of eight o’clock in the evening daily, (except Saturday) in each of the months of June, July, August and September, and at the hour of seven o’clock in the evening, daily, (except Saturday) in each of the other months, and it is expedient to grant the prayer of the said application.

Therefore, the municipal corporation of the Town of Welland enacts as follows:

1. That the grocers boot and shoe merchants, dry goods merchants, chemists and druggists, dealers in millinery, jewellers, woolen merchants, booksellers, merchant tailors, stove dealers, tinsmiths, harness makers, dealers in leather, undertakers, dealers in furniture, hardware merchants, bakers and confectioners, butchers and general merchants in the said Town of Welland shall, from and after the time hereinafter fixed for the coming into effect of this by-law, close their shops and places of business in the said Town of Welland daily, (except on Saturday, the last 15 days of December in each year, and any day preceding a public holiday,) at the hour of 8 o’clock in the evening of each of the other months, and keep them closed until 5 o’clock of the forenoon of the following day.

2. This by-law shall come into effect and be in full force on and after the 15^th day of August, 1891.

3. No person carrying on business in the said Town of Welland, belonging to the aforementioned classes, shall, from and after the 15^th day of August, 1891, keep his shop or place of business open within the hours hereinbefore prescribed.

4. Any person violating any of the provisions of this by-law shall, on summary conviction thereof before any Justice of the Peace in the said county, forfeit and pay a fine and penalty of not less in amount than $1, and not exceeding $20, exclusive of costs, and in default of payment of the said penalty and costs forthwith, the said penalty and costs, or costs only may be levied by distress and sale of the goods and chattels of the offender, and in case of there being no distress found, out of which said penalty can be levied, the said Justice of the Peace may commit the offender to the common gaol of the County of Welland for any time in the discretion of the convicting justice, not exceeding thirty days, with or without hard labor, unless such fine, penalty and costs are sooner paid.

5. Nothing therein contained shall render liable any pharmaceutical chemist or chemist or druggist to the penalties for the infraction of this by-law for supplying medicines, drugs or medical appliances after the hour appointed hereby for the closing of shops.

6. Nothing herein contained shall render any of the before mentioned occupiers of premises where the before mentioned businesses are carried on liable to the penalties of this by-law for supplying any article to any person lodging in such premises, or for supplying any article required for immediate use by reason or ailment or death, or for supplying or selling any article to any person for use on, or in or about or with respect to any steamboat or sailing vessel, which at the time of such supplying or selling is either within or in the immediate neighborhood of the said town, or for use by or with respect to any person employed or engaged on or being a passenger on or by any such steamboat or sailing vessel.

Passed in Council this Third day of August, A.D., 1891

E.R. HELLEMS, Clerk

T.F. BROWN, Mayor