THE ROYAL VISIT AND THE HOLIDAYS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10985, 7 June 1901, Page 2

THE ROYAL VISIT AND THE HOLIDAYS.

. , : -tO TtfHß KOTTOB. OF THE PRESS. Sir, —Some few weeks ago several small shopkeepers banded themselves together for I the purpose of regulating the holidays to be'"observed on special occasions. The first holiday that they have had to consider is the one in connection with the Royal re- ' ception, awd jeilging by their action, via., to break up the Saturday by asking the traders to close at IX a.m. and re-open after the "ceremonies' is, to say the least, a most disloyal action,, and antagonistic to the Executive of the Reception Committee, who have done all they could to make the reception a. red letter day in the, history of the province, and yet. owing to the niggardliness of a few small traders, the first day's reception will be marred, Anyhow, it is gratifying to find that such firms a=? Messrs Strange and Co., Tmevcliffe and Carey., and .others, have .inti- sured liy advertisement that they intend ail day on the Saturday, and remain <-j..en on the previous Thursday and {ill lial'-j-ast nine on the Friday night, and it is to be honed that the public will refrain from dome; any shopping on the Situ day. While I admit that there have In mi a great many holidays during the la>t eiL'Mwn months, yet, as you stated n your hi.ding nrticle of yesterday, this Avilf be lii° last holiday of importance for *ome tune to come, and it will corns with b.id p-j'cc to draw the line on such an oco.u-jjon as this. —Yours, etc., IRADKR.

to Tnß EDiTon or the γ-iress. Sir,—Oan you enlighten mn as to the status of the Retailers' Association of this city I was under the .impression tint ifc represented only a very small proportion of the traders of Ghristchuroh, but in to-day's "Press" I read in dfefereneo to the wishes of the Retailers' Association, his Worship the Jfayor had consented to notify business people that in lionour of tlie Royal visit, "shops should be closed from 11 a.m. on Saturday, the 22nd instant to the conclusion of the functions, and on Monday; the 24th instant, all day," which causes ms to apply 'to you for till* in forma-, tic-n. What is this Association? Is it not a foct that it numbers not more tb-m forty members, and tlvat very few of the leading business people are inclwfcd in the forty? If this is so. why should this body dictiitia to tin? business community as to what they xhoukl or should not da in connection with the holidays this month? I balisve I am correct in saying that two important section of business people—the soft goods firms and tha ironmongers—are all but unanimous in desiring that on Thursday, the 20th, business places sihould bs kept open all day, that they should remain open on Friday until a late 'hour ■ and; that they should be closed all day Saturday, the 22nd ins t., and also all day Monday, tire 24th ir.i?t. There are thousands of young people employed in our shops and stores whi are very naturally anxious to see all that there is to ba seen in connection with fchs Royal visit, and who may never liave such another opportunity t>l seeing Royalty at doss quarters. can ba no ustf in trade-re keeping opfn any part of Saturday—they will do no business —tbe people will come in, not to make purchases, but to see the sights, arid I consider that jf tire shops remain open all day on tike Thursday, and until, -say, nine o'clock on Friday night, tbe business done during tilia-t time wall amply 'recoup them for any possible loss incurred on Saturday and Monday. .There is another reason why business should be wholly suspsnded on Saturday—tins illuminations. If the shops, or sonne of them, are to remain opan en Saturday night,, this must necessarily interfere with the effectiveness of the illuminations. Lastly, I would! "ask, is it not a fact that some of the larger firms here, anxious to work in harmony with the Retailers' Association, approached that body, and asked that the holidays I have advocated in this letter should be observed, and'that the Association deliberately ignored their represents tons By the way, may I take this opportunity of urging employers,, such as have not ali«a<dy thought of doing this, to pay their employees on the Friday instead of on tbe Saturday, as usual. Of course the dealers in perishable goods are entitled to special consideration, and it might be easily arranged that these traders should be allowed to keep tlreir premises open on the Saturday (.morning. I would add that nobody desires to set aside or ignore tfc© wishes of the Mayor when he proclaims a holiday or holidays, but I woud certainly like to p6int out to his Worship that in future when approached by any individual or body of individuals to proclaim a holiday, he should ask them to give him a signed requisition in order that he may see who it is at the back of the proposal.—Yours, etc.. TRADER (No. 2).