The Shops Acts 1912-22, which regulate certain conditions of employment for shop assistants and ensure them a half-day holi day, tacitly imply that the 1677 Act is still in general operation with regard to shops. The intention to exclude Sunday from the operation of the 1912 Act may be assumed from the power given by s. i to exclude shops of any specified class from the operation of a closing order which would be in conflict with the Sunday Observance Act.
Fishing is permissible on a Sunday, except that one may only fish for salmon with rod and line (Salmon Fishery Act 1861). By the Game Act 1831, it is a crime to take or kill game on a Sunday, but the prohibition does not apply to rabbits. The law with regard to Sunday entertainments and performances is based upon the Sunday Observance Act 1781 (21 Geo. III. c. 49) by which heavy pecuniary penalties were imposed upon anyone who promoted any public entertainment or debate to which people were admitted only by payment. A bill to permit certain public entertainments on a Sunday was introduced in April, 1931.
dies non for the sitting of the courts or meetings of public bodies, though parliament has at times sat on a Sunday in national emergencies, and Saturday sittings of the House of Commons have been extended into the small hours of the Sab bath. Process may not be served nor persons arrested except in cases of treason, felony, or breach of the peace (1677 Act), but a justice may issue an arrest or search warrant.
Though at common law a contract made on a Sunday is valid, the technical restrictions imposed by statute on Sunday labour, especially those contained in the Sun day Observance Act 1677, render most contracts made and com pleted on that day void or voidable (Smith v. Sparrow, 1827, 4 Bing. 84). But any contract in respect of labour, business, or work not done in the course of a man's ordinary calling is bind ing. A cheque drawn on a Sunday is binding on the drawer ; in an action on a bill of exchange drawn on a Sunday the drawer was given judgment against the acceptor (Begbie v. Levy, 183o,
I C. and J. 18o). The position in regard to these matters has been clearly laid down by the Bills of Exchange Act.
Computation of Time.—Where any limit or period of time fixed in the High Court exceeds seven days the Sundays included in it (except in divorce proceedings) are counted in computing the time, provided that if the last day fall on a Sunday, the period must be computed so as to cover the next following working day. But where the period fixed is less than six days Sunday is not counted, so that five days from a Saturday would com mence on the following Monday and end on the Friday.
In Scotland and the British dominions the laws as to Sunday have followed more or less the same course, except that native customs have been interfered with as little as possible and par ticular Acts have been passed to meet special needs. (W. LA).
In the United States Sunday legislation, be ginning with an enactment of the Virginia colony in 1617, was quite general in colonial times, and Sunday laws of varying types have been passed by all the States. Their general trend is to pro hibit the carrying on of any business on Sunday that is neither necessary nor charitable in nature. In some States general pro visions to this effect are in force; others prohibit the conduct of particular trades and occupations. Many States forbid Sunday sports, prohibiting games and theatrical performances from being conducted for profit. Violation of the Sunday laws entails three effects. It subjects the violator to the criminal penalty pre scribed by statute. It makes unenforceable contracts, including promissory notes, executed or to be performed on Sunday. In a few States, it subjects the violator to a civil disability, thus pre venting a traveller on Sunday from recovering for a negligent injury done to him inasmuch as his own illegal act was a cause of the injury. The criminal enforcement of Sunday laws through out the United States is notoriously lax. (J. M. LA.)