THE HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION.

Evening Post, Volume XLVI, Issue 122, 21 November 1893, Page 4

THE HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION.

A large meeting of shop assistants wan held in the Exchange Hall last evening, in nrder to li9ten to the views of sevoral of the nandidatea with reference to the compulsory half-holiday question. On the motion of Mr. James Dawson, seconded by Mr. E. Atmqre, Mr. Henry Martin was voted to the chair, and explained the objeot of the meeting. Sir Robert Stout said that he had supported tho Shop Assistants Bill, and bad even gone so far as to urge that hotel servants should be included.. Many years ago be had taken part in an agitation to obtain early closing in Dunedin, and the preaent half-holiday movement was a result of that agitation. Those who were moving to get a compulsory half-holiday had right on their side, and he felt sure that they mußt get the concession legally recognised before long. The big firms in Dunedin did not complain 'that they lost through a halfholiday, and he did not see why the movement should not be uniformly recognised all over the colony. He could not see why people shonld not be able to do all their shopping in five and o-half days. If returned he should support the movement, and, in fact, any proposal for the well-being of an important section of the commnnity. Mr. Bell said that he was at the last election a perfectly honest opponent of what the meeting desired. He then pointed out that if tho Bill paßsed there must be a compulsory half-holiday. It turned out that he was quite correct. He then said that if the Bill passed he must support a uniform halfholiday, and he was prepared to do so. There must be a uniform half-holiday for chop assistants. He felt that he had been wrong in opposing the proposal, and he had now pleasure in saying that he wonld support what was the logical sequence of past legislation. He had not sought the votes of the shop assistants, and he was present there that evening because he hod been asked to state his views on the question. Mr. Fraser said that from his experience as an old shopkeeper he felt that if the halfholiday was to be a success it must be made compulsory. He recolleoted that not long ago la chemists in Wellington were in favour of closing, but as two refused, the chemists' shops did not close. He did not agree with the views held by the Legislative Council on the subject, and if he were returned he would vote for the compulsory half-holiday. It seemed to him that it would be advisable to make the half -holiday on the Saturday. All shops should be dosed at the same time, and he did not see why the barmaids should not also have a run into the country. Mr. M'Lean Baid that when he was living in the Inangahua district, lately represented by Sir Robert Stout, he took an active part in the holiday movement. In his place in the House he had spoken and voted in favour of the Shop Assistants' Bill. In his speeches he had pointed out that the Jews not only kept their own holidays, but also ours, and he argued that it would be a shame if with that example before us there was not a half-holiday eaoh week for shop people. He did not see why there should not be a general half-holiday. Once in the House he had said he thought that a clause shonld be inserted giving a shopkeeper the right to call on his principal assistants to work during the annual stocktaking, but at the request of Mr. R. P. Johnson he hod abandoned that position, and had voted for an unreserved concession. He did not ask shop assistants for their voteß, but ho asked them to judge of what he had do le by the standard which they would' like to bo judged under similar circumstances- to those in which he bad been placed Mi. M'Lean, in response to requests to contir.no his remarks, urged that there should be a frontage rate, and he pointed out that Mr. Bell also held similar views. Mr. Vogcl wrote regretting that he had not been asked to apeak. He had the cause of the assistants at heart, and was a straightforward supporter of the movement. He trusted they would give him their support, hut even if they did not, and he was returned, he should vote to give them what they desired. Messrs. Fisher and Macdonald had also been invited to apeak, bnt owing to other engagements they were not ablo to attend.