THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 416, 27 January 1909, Page 9

THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

- THE -TRADES COUNCIL IN REPLY. On Monday .afternoon . the New Zealand Shopkeepers' Association, in tho course of a riieetitig; passed some strictures on the action of the Tradc3 Council in initiating a petition in favour- 1 of tho general Saturday half-holi-day, to be presented to the City Council in terms provided for in the Shops and Offices Act. '. ' ' • Mr. E. J. Carey,' a Union secretary and a prominent member of the Tradea Council, states in regard to the .action of' the latter body iti this matter, that there are several unions affiliated to the Trades, Council, tlic ,Working conditions of which are governed by tho Shops'and Offices Act, and'which include many shop assistants. That seemed sufficient reason for the council taking action, as: it was meeting' tho Wishes of those members. But, 'in addition, the council considered it Was fighting for a right, principle, as : year after year, at conference after conference, the grincijile. of tho desirability of a' universal Saturday: half-holiday had- been-'-urged, Bethel- with tho 44J- hours''week, and the six working days only for those Whoso business renders thetn liable to bo. called- 011; every day.; They-felt that by endeavouring to bring about a general' Saturday half-holiday they wei'e doing what, the coliforences have urged, and. they knew that they "wore taking a step in the right direction in exorcising that claUso of the Act Which gave the public the opportunityl bf deciding on which day the weekly half-holiday-should .be observed;' In places Where Saturday was adopted as the day for the weekly half-holiday, the-inconvenience to the public had been found to be trifling compared With the advantages gained,by the employees, and in some cases employers had paid wiiges,': earlier in: the'week, so that there Wouid' bb .no.; inconvenience as to shopping.MriiCarey .siiid that lie knew the assistants in certain big establishments considered tho Saturday, half-holiday a great boon, as it enabled thorn to go to . tho, seaside or the country from' the' Saturday till the; Monday. The Trades" Council had no desire, to hurt the small shopkeepers, and believed that as'far as they: were concerned trade would: soon adjust: itself,'arid Would be : an actual benefit to suburban shopkeepers. The council's chief and • only object in moving for a general Saturday, half-holiday-was to repay the loyalty. of those' hiembers of ./unions- affiliated who. would -unmistakably benefit .by ', the change. - '■