THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 196, 18 August 1913, Page 7

THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

PROPOSAL FOR KEW POLL. BULL TO BE DROPPED UNLKmS AUCKLAND MEMBERS ARE UNANIMOUSA large deputation representing Auckland shopkccpei. favouring the Wednesday half-holiday waited upon Mr ,1. 11. Hradney, M.P.," chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Bills Committee, this afternoon. Mr George Tutt. in introducing the deputation, said th:il those [.resent represented shopkeepers in Queen Street, Karangahape Road. Symonds Street. Ponsonby Road, and other parts of the city. They hoped that the bill the Government had in view, granting another poll, would he. made law, and lie'urged that Mr Hradney, as chairman of the Labour Bills Committee, should do bis best to expedite its passage. Mr Rendell said he thought tlie present arrangement could be best described as "piebald." The people bad voted on the last occasion under something of a misapprehension, ami there was' the whole question of exemptions which would require to lie studied. Mr Tuck (Ponsonby Road). Mr Buchanan (Newton), -and Mr Tudohope ( Symonds Street) supported previous speakers, urging another poll. AH that they wanted was another opportunity of again testing tiic question. Micvin. that ihe previous decision would be reversed.

Mr. Br.idncy, in reply, said he knew that they bad "lhe sympathy of the Prime Minister. If it were a question relating to the city only, there would not be miicil chance of another pop. If , ;n lv Id.OOO people out of 1.-»,ot)n on the roll voted on the la si occasion, well that, was ihe. city's look-out. Rut since the Saturday half holiday came into operation it v.aspateiit that there were anomalies. Eden Trrrati-, a small road board district wedged in between four boroughs, had an unfair advantage. likewise Takapuna and Devonport were now all'eetcd. There were 14.1)00 people in those two districts which wns more than the total niimliei which lust April voted in the city mi lhe half-holiday poll. Those districts wanted a poll of their own. but it was because Mr. Mussey thought it only fair that these three (listricts should be in unison with the cil v on tb« question thai lie had approved the idea, of the bill. Auckland members, however, were unfortunately divided on this matfr. and Mr. Massoy hud declared that unless the Auckland members were unanimous the bill would be dropped. Mr. Ilradney added that he personally was satisfied that the present system' wa.-- going to kill lots of small tradesmen. Personally he was prepared to support, the bill il be was satisfied that there was a popular demand for il. If ,j u . p,,. 5 e,,f. system was nol stopped he was informed that there would he 400 or 500 bankruptcies to face.

Continuing. Mr. Brndnev said that Mr Harris was one Auckland member prominent in opposing the I.ill. ~.| the ground that- Devonport and Takapuna should lie allowed f„ vote indopeudontlv 'lhe Prune 'Minister however, had emphatically stated that Auckland members would have to agree anion, themselves if the hi!] W ;is to be gone on with. If the bill w,is dropped i," believed that it was c.vccedinglv likely that an amend. men: would he inlrodncei) to the .shoos and Ofliecs \el dealing „.;,-, ,],,. M ,,,.5,;,',„ generally and making particular provision to 'those businesses which at present came in under the exemption clauses A Member of the Deputation: Would hotels be includedV Mr. Braclney: Yes : T have U ">od authority for stating thai hotels would most-certainly be in, bided in any amending legislation of tlie kind introduced.