THE HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 454, 12 March 1909, Page 7

THE HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION.

DEPUTATION TO THE HON. A. W. . HOGG. ■ \ Tho Minister for Labour (Hon. A. W. Hogg) was waited upon yesterday by Mr. H. H. Seatou (president), and Mr.K. V. Allen, secretary, of the New Zealand Shopkeepers' Association. Mr. Seaton said that at tho municipal elections on April. 27 a poll would bo taken on tho question whether tho weekly halfholiday for shops should bo Wednesday or Saturday. Many peoplo were under the im.. pression that if Wednesday was agreed on ■ it would mean that factories and. warehouses would have to eloso on that day. That, of course, was not so; tho poll "was only iu. regard to shops, and tho shopkeepers were , anxious that the public should ue under. , no misapprehension on the subject. Saturday- wus;itheir best business (lay, in tho«ma--nn jo'r'ity of cases, and they thought a'great' (leal of harm would bo done if- they were obliged to close oil that day; . . Mr. Allen said there was very clear evidence of tho .disastrous effect of Saturday closing, in Hawkp's Bay and Nelson. ; The Minister, in reply, said he thought ■ the removal of any misapprehension on the part of the public must Vest very largely with the shopkeepers' themselves. Hβ declined to express ally decided opinion on tho merits of the question, but lie wished to say that he had much sympathy with the small shopkeepers, who often had a very hard struggle to make their businesses pay, and wero compelled to consult tho wished ■' and convenience of their customers.- If he could do anything to remove misapprehenr sion he would be very glad to do it.