The subject is sur rounded with difficulties, for the attempt to right the wrongs of one class is met with the result that the privileges Of another are invaded: it has been put forward that it would not be unjust to compel re tailers to shorten the hours of their employes, but that it would be unjust to force them to close their shops; if they chose to remain themselves. The base is put thus: An employer who has; say, a c'oupie of shopmen j lets' them go home at 6 o'clock^ and chooses to spend his evenings in his shop—which re mains open—reading a paper or chatting with ati.acquaintance, It.#ol*l3, it is said, be an interference With the liberty of the subject to deny him this privilege. So it would, if the encroachment stopped there. But if a customer chances to drop in,' the conversation or the perusal of the day's paper is quickly interrupted< and the wants of the customer attended to- There are always people who find at night that they have forgotten something which they ought to have bought; and unless the shopkeeper knew this ( and set himself to meet the want, he Would enjoy his paper or his conversation in his own parlour and save the gas Mil in. His shop. iiut the shup keeper : over the Way, finding that the stray eveni&g Custom goes to his opponent, lays himself - otit to catch some of the flotsam, and in the end all keep open, and the early closing movement again falls through. It is a question upon which equifr able legislation is difficult. A rigorous closing of all shops in the evening would in jure the struggling, small retailers, and the question is whether their interests should be sacrificed for the benefit of the larger class of shop assistants. Our opinion is "that they, should. Pending' the decision, how ever, muefi eW ts done by the public themselves. $ine-teri£fc zt least of the shopping in late hours could be avoided were purchasers to give the matter a moment's thought, and not selfishly postpone their. business until they had enjoyed their pleasure. 