THE HALF HOLIDAY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 43, 14 November 1907, Page 9

THE HALF HOLIDAY.

A deputation! consisting, of si krgo, mini-' ber of country members introduced .by. Mr.. Macpherson, waited ujion the Itlinister,! for Labour yesterday, and- askerl him -to.'agree'to the withdrawal, of the proviso oficlau'se 9 in the Factories Act Amendment IJilLtoJthe offect that the- suction shall only applyvwhere the number of persons employed in thevghop is greater than ..those employed'ill (the.; factory. The section-in question is.rtbeiono l'or yarding the half-holiday, (where shops nnd factories are combined)...in,, boroughst.iwherc thei'o is a population; of less than; SQOl)-, v'!' It was pointed,.gut tlint- the .pi'qyiso-.de-. stroyed the Vijii'u of the Hill so far- as it nfl'nctpd the smaller boroughs; as, there, were many instances in ivhii.'h onc-.einplpypr. woiild need to licop no lialf-bolid.iys : ' in •■'tho-.iveok. The jiroviso was quite in the..wrong- direction so as to meet the case of. sjjgplceepers who had, say, two assistants iir their shop, and four persons in their workroom , . '■'• Mr. Millar said he would-consider .the matter, though he was : opposed ".to ,thc change, as representations had 'bcpirniadotohim that some merchant!) would ■ evade tlib Act liy attaching:small shops to their'factories. He, howover, though* thero'was'little fear of tin's l)ciii<i done.> Howcvor, 1 ! lie was prepared to consider'the matter; and sop if something could not be done to' mont/tlitr wishes of those in the smaller Ho : was of opinion that if the-proposcdaltpratioji Were niacin, hi! would have-vro -reduce;• the' population basis, and put it. bank, again, to live thousand. . The. deputatio!j^^i\iii , d., j i;h'i)t this would not meet their viows^as-it[would-briny in many medium-sized towns, lilio Oainaru, Ashburton, Jlasterton. etc.