TO THE EDITOR OF THE 'PRESS.'

Press, Volume III, Issue 285, 29 September 1863, Page 3

TO THE EDITOR OF THE 'PRESS.'

Sir, —A movement has recently been made in this city so entirely in a social point of view in the right direction that I have been surprised that none of those who usually guide public opinion have taken notice of it, —I mean the closing of many of the leading professional aud mercantile houses of business at mid-day on Saturday. Regarding it as quite a spontaneous act on the part of those who have adopted this course, I think it can hardly be too highly commended or too generally followed. I leani the banks would have followed suit, and closed at 1 on Saturday, instead of Wednesday, as at present, but for the opposition of one of the managers, on the ground of Saturday being the market day. As I think this a reasonable objection, and tho only ono of importance that can be urged against the general closing of the houses of business at noon on Saturday, I take tho liberty of calling public attention to the subject by asking you to insert this letter in your very useful journal, in order that an attempt may be made to induce the authorities to have the weekly market held on some other day of the week. I believe that in the mother country it is considered by all those who are interested in the social elevation of the people that there is not a healthior sign of tho times than the desire which has so gradually increased during the last five or six years to make Saturday as much as possible a day of recreation and pleasure. It indicates a growing conviction that man is made for some nobler purpose than that of devoting his entire existence to the mere attainment —like the lower animals —of the means of living. The Saturday half-holiday movement is already giving health and vigor of body to hundreds of young people in all the great cities of the mother country, and enabling the heads of very many families to enjoy at least once a week a little recreation to which they had previously been strangers. It has also, I can confidently assert, been a niaiu cause of the success of the volunteer movement in London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Glasgow, and many other cities. It woidd also, I am convinced, do more here to resuscitate that movement than any other means. Lastly (and in my view tliis is of great importance), it would be a reverential act towards the approaching Lord's Day. Pushing the business of the week as far as possible into Saturday evening makes us api»ear to be anticipating Sunday with reluctance rather than with pleasure and gratitude. I therefore respectfully ask the Lord Bishop, and other Christian men of influence, to do what they can to make Saturday a general half-holiday. I would also as respectfully ask the civil authorities to change the weekly market day, and so remove the only serious obstacle to its being done. May I further beg of you, sir, to give the powerful assistance of your ]>eri to the cause which I so feebly advocate. What an amount of happiness would be diffused through this city and its neighborhood every week if business generally were suspended, say, from one o'clock on Saturday afternoon until Monday morning. What lots of time for pic nicking, volunteering, cricketing, and, in the evening, for more intellectual enjoyments, such aa hearing lectures, readings, kc. Hoping that some abler pen may take up this subject, 1 am, sir, kc, A Married Man.

TO THE EDITOR OF TUB 'PRESS.' Sir, —In the 17th clause of tho report of tho Provincial Engineer on the works of the current year, tho Engineer has taken some credit to himself for the construction of a road over Porter's Pass to Craigie-burn and Lake Pearson. He reports the road " now open for dray traffic," and calls attention to the economy of its construction.

I cannot think that tho Provincial Engineer has inspected this road since it has been, wliat he terms " opened for dray traffic," or he would not have reported on it as he has done. The road over the Pass is by no means passable for a dray with any load on it, much less for a dray loaded with wool ;* aud further, several cuttings between Lake Lyndon and Craigie-burn are useless. As regards economy of construction, I kuow that settlers in the Upper Waimakariri have made cuttings for the pack-horse track at their own expense.. That there is a large quantity of wool vow lying in that country (Upper Waimakariri) is a very good proof that the road is. not such as reported.. Unless tins report-had been given to the public I should not have troubled you to insert this letter in your paper; but I do think tliat the Provincial Engineer has no right to adduce this road as an instance of careful engineering and economy in road making. I am, kc, Thomas Wooi__sto>' White. The Warren, Oxford.