FARMERS’ PROTEST

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 247, 1 August 1935, Page 10

FARMERS’ PROTEST

UNIVERSAL HALF-HOLIDAY.

PROPOSAL NOT LIKED. (Special to the “ Guardian.”) MASTER TON, July 30. “As most of you are aware there is a movement at present afoot in the Dominion for a universal half-holiday,” stated Mr J. H. Bremner at tp-day’-s meeting of the Wairarapa provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union, when opening discussion on his motion “that this executive protests against any interference with the existing rights of 4> each district to select. a half-holiday best suited to local conditions.” Continuing, Mr Bremner said that although perhaps the matter was not absolutely important in the Wairarapa, he thought that the farmers should move in the matter. He said that if adopted, the movement would ibe against the primary producers, for one reason that it would make life in the cities more attractive. “There is already a definite drift to the towns,” said Mr Bremner, “and we do not want to accentuate that movement.” He pointed out that, roughly speaking, the population percentages were 66 2-3 in the cities, and 33 1-3 in the country districts. He believed that the proposal would deprive the farmers of their privilege of going to town for business purposes on Saturdays. This was especially the case with the dairy-fanner, and he was the man who needed every consideration to-day. Mr Bremner said that there seemed to be a good deal of apathy as regards this matter among farmers in general, who were inclined to look at the matter from a personal point of view rather than from a national outlook. He felt that Farmers’ Unions should do something*: n the matter. “I take it that at present we have the option of a day-,” said 1 the chairman (Air Hugh Morrison), to which Mr Bremner replied that that was the case, and he felt that it should remain so. Mr R. Farrow was of the opinion that a universal half-holiday on Saturday would not make any difference to farmers, as banks, many offices, and, in particular, solicitors’ offices, observed a [half-holiday on Saturday, and if would be very difficult to get them to open. •

After some further discussion the motion was carried by 17 votes to 6