THE SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 35, 10 February 1904, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY.

(To the Edito.-.l Sir.—Mr. Thomas' explanation is that the Conference did not recommend the Government to fix Saturday. It was reported to the contrary. The reporters are usually careful to obtain correct reports, so it would look as though someone gave them wrong Information. The matter wants clearing up, as the reported recommendation was sent to the Government. Noticing that the butchers are proposing to close on Saturdays at nine o'clock, may 1 suggest that it would be desirabla to make a general move in that direction. We have the machinery in the present Shop Hours' Bill, as on the petition of a three-fifths majority of all traders that hour could be gazetted as the closing hour. By its adoption no buyer would be seriously inconvenienced, and the boon to tradesmen would be great, as it would enable them to get home by ten o'clock, instead of eleven. I am not forgetting that when the traders were sounded some twelve months since the response was unfavourable. It might be better now: the fact that one important trade are willing to adopt it gives room to suppose so. Advocates for the Saturday half-holiday generally forget that the proposed late night on Friday (and one late night in the week is a public necessity), apart from other strong reasons, precludes that day as the retailers' half-holiday. 1 am. etc., R. FRENCH-