SHOP HOURS BILL. TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 68, 18 September 1894, Page 3

SHOP HOURS BILL. TO THE EDITOR.

Sib— ln to-night's issue of the Evening Post I read a let tor from " One of a Family," and put into print in such a way as to load me to believe that he is not a shop-keeper, but under such a name one oannot judge rightly. Tho picture drawn by the writer of the poverty, orime, and drunkenness that will follow should suoh a Bill pass is very far-fetched indeed, and hardly worth commenting upon ; but the confusion everything is to be thrown into will be seen by a few lines in support of such a holiday. It must bo admitted that we have got into a certain groove— bred and born to it— and at first sight it would be madness to attempt to make any alteration or to make a new groove whereby wo could carry on business as smoothly as hitherto, and free ourselves from being shop-slavos. Now, Bir, as shown by tho last eleotion, tho country demands tho half-holiday, not only for the shop assistants, but the shop- keepers. They are willing to fall in (with ono or two exceptions) to whatever day is decided upon. Should it be Saturday, the day the writer condemn?, things will not quite bo so bad as painted in his letter, and he and his friends will not bo deprived of boing ablo to spend their money shopping on a Friday when received on that day, nor will they be bound ovor to withhold their money from the shopkeeper on a Friday night, to enablo them to spend it with the publican on a Saturday. "One of a Family " no doubt has on several ocoasions been obligod to stay at home through very bad weather on a Saturday night, and withhold his purchases for the following week ; or did it go to cause orime and poverty ? If so, wo will remedy that by being open on a Saturday morning, the day after what will be made pay-day, and enable "Ons of a Family" and others to do the shopping they desired to do on tho previous night when weather-bound. The Union Company and Harbour Board pay on a Friday, the City Council are willing to do tho same if required, and so will all other employers of labour. It is also said we will have two nights running with our mam streets in darkness. Not so ;it will be found to be as light on a Saturday ni«ht as it is now, as the night would be used for gaslight displays. There is nothing in the Bill to prohibit a shopkeeper himself from lighting up bis windows, In reference to the hotel bars, I look upon this clause as being put in as a stnmbling-biook, and might have been left out until the Bill came into operation ; then, if found necessary, an amendment bringing them into it could have been brought in the following session. Trusting you will not find these remarks too long, I am, Ao., T.J.L. 15th September.