THE HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9005, 18 January 1895, Page 5

THE HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION.

THE CONFERENCE. The Conference convened by hie Worship the Mayor of Chriatchuroh under the Shop AuisUuta Act, to consider the question ol the statutory half-holiday, was held last night at the City Council Chambers. The following delegates were present :— Christchurch, the Mayor, Crs. Bonmngton, Gray, Prudhoe, J. T. Smith, E. Smith and Keswiok; Lyttelton, the Mayor (Mr Schumacher); Lin wood, the Mayor (Mr Brunt); Woolston, the Mayor (Mr ttichardson); Kumner, Cr. Hughes; St. Aibans, Cr. Waymouth. The Borough of Sydenham was not represented. Mr Handisides, representing the Spreydou Road Board, said he was present at the invitation of Mr Looms, who had sent a. request to his Board to appoint a representative.

The Mayor of Christchurch said that under the Act the only person entitled to convene the delegates of contiguous boroughs was the Mayor of the City. Mr Lomat / had no authority to invite a representative of any body to be present, and, therefore, he must rule that Mr Handisidea could not take part in the proceedings. Mr Handisidea then retired.

Considerable interest appeared to be evinced in the discussion of the matter, the portion of the Council Chamber allotted to tho public being tilied. The Mayor said that this was a Conference to which the contiguous boroughs had been invited to send delegates, and they had responded by the election of delegates' all but the Borough of Sydenham. The business before the Conference wae. under tho Aot, to appoint the statutory halfj holiday. Ue wished, before the business was commenced, to refer to a statement which was made by a gentleman at the Linwood meeting as reported in tho Press. Speaking there, this gentleman had accused him (the Mayor) with negleotiog his duty in not calling a meeting. Well, he might say that ha had seen the Mayor of Lin wood iv the street, and he had told him that he had been asked by several of the residents of his borougti to call a public meeting to consider the question. lie (the Chairman) said that if this was tho case, then it Was his duty to call the meeting. Bat do 'such request had beeu made by the citizens of Chriatchurch, and, therefore, as it was not provided in the Act that he should call a public mooting, he had not done ho. He now asked the delegates to deal with the question which the Act provided, And first he would ask them to appoint a Chairman.

Or. Pkudhob mbved—" That the Mayor of Christchurch take the chair."

The Mayor of Linwood seconded the motion, which was carried. Cγ. Gray moved-—"That Thursday be the half-holiday under the Act." So far as the representatives of the City Council were concerned, they were there to act as they had beeu instructed, and therefore there was no need to Bay much. As regarded the large centres of New Zealand they had looted upon Saturday as the day upon ! which business was done, and therefore ! that ie would be a mistake to select it for the holiday. Ho would point out that there < was no hardship on thoae who required Saturday, -because if any other day but Saturday were eeleoted, those who required. , Saturday could, "by giving notice, close on 1 that day. For many years it had grown up i with this district that-Saturday was'the I business day of the week. "He sincerely believed that if Saturday were to be ' selected as the half-holiday that it "Would i throw naif the email shopkeepers into bank--1 ruptcy and would simply throw all -the . business into the large co-operative firms. As regarded Chriatohuroh, he spoke very feelingly on behalf of _ three* parts nf the tradesmen of thai) Saturday would be the least suitable day that could be selected. The 1 Thursday half-holiday had done well here, and had , been loyally observed. Indeed it was the only place in the colony where it' bad beeo so thoroughly taken up. In Wellington and Dunedm it had been a half-and>faalf sort of affair. In Christchurch it was different, as it had been taken up and observed by the employers with a great deal of spirit. He therefore had great pleasure in moving the resolution to wfaioa be had referred. ' ~ .\- Or. Bonningtoh' seconded the resolution. He thought, however, that they ehoald hear the petitions which had been pre« sehted. - The Mayob or CaßtsTOHtmoE aaked v whether.anyoue had a petition to present. Or. Beswiok said he formally presented, the petition which he had laid before the Council in favour of Saturday being toe - half-holiday. He merely did this a> ft , matter of form, because the question liad been deoided before. the delegates came together. The oity had aevea delegates to six of the contiguous boroughs, and Christ* church having decided on Thursday ill wee. useless for him to persist in the advocacy of Saturday. However* out ol deference to the persons signing the petition, he now presented it.. .His opinion was that the. delegates should have been allowed to come to the Conference with a te«6 hand, and bad this been so he would have proposed to take evidence, and so arrive at the "wishes of the ■' public on the matter.- - > The Mayor of Lijswood said he should propose an amendment to Cγ. Gray'e motion, and that was— v ? That Saturday qe . the half-holiday selected." As Cr. Bsswiok had said the matter was already decided;, to that it was nod' necessary for him; to take up the time of the Conference at any length, on the point. Aβ he had been asked, by residents in his district to call a public meet* ing, he had done so, and the voice of the meeting had decided in favour <of Saturday. That being so, be now moved the ataead* meat in the direction of fixing Saturday m _ the haif-boliday. '. - -- . Cr, Hpohes (Somner) seconded the amend* ment. „,*-.. The Chaibjhak said r tbat as Cr. Beswiek had referred to the petition presented by ; him it wait only right that he ehould State that bwo petitiobslor Thursday bad already been presented to the Council. . . After remarks by Cre. J. T. Smith, and fcrndhoe and the Mayors ofLyttelton and: Woolston, the amendment was put and lost, only three voting for it. - ' '\ ,'' :'- - original resolution was then put and carried. V * . ■«. The Mayor of Linwood moved—••* Thai in the opinion of this Conference the giving; by the Legislature of each, preponderance of votes to the city at the Conference ie unfair, and that the Government be requested to, alter the provision during next session." The Chaxkmak ruled the motion; out ..of order, and the meeting terminated* .

(eaXSS ASSQCUAISOSr SSMSSAMB.3 ' " I AUCKLAND, January it .""" At a meeting of the City Council to eleofe.- ; delegates for the conference to-tabrWfir to", s settle the day for the weekly bAtf-hditoay* : ", the Council declined, by 9 to S, to elect ,J> delegates. The Mayor has telegraphed thf, : >-'' J, state of affairs to the Minister of Labourr"™ n NAPIEB, January 17. _~ , The Borough. Council last bight fix« 4 Wednesday for the half-holiday. , -~ WELLINGTON, January 17, -„- At the meeting of tbe CityCounctt Uh~ night a deputation of shopkeepers waited, oo the member* urging Wednesday m that -" half-holiday, and presenting. . a petition signed by many thousands in favour of thafL - « day. They also drew attention to the great hardship which would be i&fHcted on the , shopkeepers at the Tβ Aro .end of *■ the town if they were obliged to cloee oa Saturday. Later in the evening the Council considered the report of the Public Waska Committee, which reoomaiended Wednes* day, and * after considerable dieooesion ~ '" Wednesday was rejected by the casting vote. .. of the Mayor, and Saturday substituted...& ' - Committee, consisting of Councillors ~; Penney, Larconrt, Andersen and Tatum, " " being one from each Ward, and evenly divided on the question* was set up to act. , \ with the Mayor at the Conference on Men- ■ day, wfcich finally eelecfcsithe day to be ' observed. The Mayor,, in giving his casting : vote for Saturday, eaid the argaraents ht .2 had heard had convinced him that ' day was the better day; bathe had declared foe before his eleofcion w Obiei . \ Maßiatrate, and lie would Iw consistent;. >, ? The following are gaietted as the days of; -, " cloßingfnr the respectivedistficfcas—£>nn- ,''- sedin Wednesday, Amberley Saturday* -' ,-',- Clinton Wednesday, Hawetft Friday, Ttu**- -:'/■ dale Wednwdfty t Xemuka Ifaamday* . : . ,<'*[' -. ■ ■-.>'■'-\U\?i -