THE DAY TO SHUT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1111, 26 April 1911, Page 8

THE DAY TO SHUT.

FOR SHOPKEEPERS. IS WEDNESDAY THE BEST DAY? CHORUS OF "YES." <Tust at present one twelfth of the business week is concerning people more than the other eleven-twelfths taken together. Some very interesting observations concerning this burning topic— the half-holiday question— were- made, at a meeting of the executive of the Wellington Shopkeepers' Association yesterday.

The association recently circularised City Council candidates to ascertain their views on the matter. Tho communication stated that members of the association and at least 110 per cent, of the shopkeepers of the city, were against compulsory closing by vote of tnq people. 'Die section ot the Act which allowed shopkeepers to choose either on Wednesday or Saturday was considered more equitable. If Wednesday was selected by the City Council as "the statutory half-holiday" then the shops could close on Wednesday or Saturday. If the council fixed Sa'turday every shop not exempted must observe, that day. "We, therefore, ask you," concluded the letter, "whether, if returned to the City Council, you would, as former councils have done, vote for the retention of Widnesday as the statutory holiday for shops?" Council Candidates' Answers. Mr. G.. Sliirtcliffe replied in favour of .Wednesday, which, lie said, he had always advocated, so as. to leave the closing day.optional with the shopkeepers. Saturday closing would probably be detrimental to most, and ruinous to some, of the city retailers. Mr. Frost, by way of reply, brought under notice n newspaper cutting reporting him to have stated that a Saturday, half-holiday would involve "undue interference with individual liberty.'' Air. R. J. Fletcher replied that ho was now, and always had been, in favour of Saturday. Mi , . W. J. Thompson replied that although at the conference of local bodies in January he had said that Saturday was the most suitable day, he had since looked very carefully into the matter of how it would affect shopkeepers as a whole, and had arrived at the conclusion that the present closing day was far more suitable for tho majority of shopkeepers. He would go further, and say that the provision in the Act allowing a vote of the people to fix Saturday was entirely wrong, as it was unreasonable that voters should dictate to traders as to how they should run their businesses. , Tho Shopkeepers' Option. Mr. Leigh Hunt wrote that (if he understood right) the provision of tho Shops and Oilices Act, the day determined by the poll became tho statutory closing day until another poll reversed tho position.' If that was so, the question could not come before the City Council during the next two years, and.' therefore, was not an issue with which candidates were concerned. Parliament had placed the matter in the hands of the people, and Parliament only could alter the law. Mr. A. R. Atkinson wrote that he. was riot in favour of tho City Council altering tho day at present fixed for the statutory half-holiday. Mr. John Smith replied that he had always favoured Wednesday. Mr. W. H. Bennett's reply stated that he and his employees enjoyed Saturday as their half-holiday. It suited their business, but he quite realised that there were plenty of other branches of trade which it was totally unsuited for. He thought that the present option held by the employer (and who had a better right to that option than the man or woman who had their stake in their business?) was on right lines. If he was elected to the council that option would always bo safeguarded. At present he voted Wednesday, and, if he changed his views, ho would give ample notice. Mr. L. 'M'Kenzio said that he had not answered the' circular because he thought his views were well enough known to the association. The. shopkeeper should bo allowed to run his business as he thought fit. "Ninety Per Cent. Favour Wednesday." The chairman (Mr. H. H. Scaton) said that the association numbered several people who closed on Saturday. But while those people would not like to revert to Wednesday (because they had built up a certain class of trade) they were with tho association in that they did not believe in allowing a referendum on the balf-holiuay question. "This thing," continued tho chairman, "has caused more, discussion than anything yet placed on the Statute Book." •Ninety per cent of the shopkeepers wished to retain the Wednesday. "This sort of thing is absolutely against the best interests of the community; it creates discord where dibcord should not be. Tho poll takes place to-mor-row, and we hope the vote will bo in favour of Wednesday, as tho Working people look upon Saturday' as tho d.-vy upon which they enjoy 'hopping." Members said that as a sporting day they would prefer Saturday—they considered it much the bettor for a holiday; but they thought business should be considered before p'casure. Mr. Quinton said that he could give an instance of a Wellington shopkeeper in a small way v.ho would bo ruined if Saturday was made the holiday. Mr. Quinton went on to give his own experiences in Melbourne, whero he had had to close down on account of interference- with tho hours of closing. THE Workers' Shopping Day. Mr. A. E. Mann was cf opinion that Saturday was the best day for the workers. The wharf labourer got Saturday afternoon off, and went home, and looked after the children, and his wife was thereby permitted to do her necessary shopping. Workers generally could not keep servants, and, therefore, it would create a serious difficulty for workers' wives if the shops were closed on the only afternoon in the week on which they wore really free to go outMr. M'Kenzie said that Mr. Hannah had told him that Saturday was the best business day in the week —as good as threo others. ; ' Labour Agitators to Blame. The chairman said thy t it was the labour agitators who were chiefly blamable for the Saturday agitation. A member: "The queer thing is that the workers keep them in their positions." During the meeting Mr. G. E. Fownos telephoned to say that a certain number of people in Newtown wero under tho extraordinary impression that if they voted for Wednesday they were going to lose, their half-holiday altogether. Tho chairman said that tho press had made that quite clear. The association had to thank tho press for tho explicit manner in which they had stated matters.