Retailers defy trade ban

A compulsory day off may have been agony for shopaholics and retailers, but most New Zealanders apparently survived without ill-effect the two shopping-free days over the Easter Weekend.

By law, most retail trading is banned on Easter Friday and Sunday. But legal trading in "essentials" sold by dairies, service stations, restaurants or entertainment venues such as cinemas or museums provided opportunities to spend a few dollars.

Garden stores around New Zealand as usual defied the ban, with many visited by Labour Department inspectors.

Anisha Bhulla, in charge at Kilbirnie's California Home and Garden Centre in Wellington, said business was quiet on Friday and Saturday but picked up with yesterday's fine weather.

Labour Department spokeswoman Belinda Howard said 30 inspections took place and decisions on whether to lay charges would be made this week.

The maximum penalty is a $1000 fine, an insufficient sum to deter many big garden centres.

- NZPA