STATUTORY HALF-HOLIDAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 23, 28 January 1908, Page 8

STATUTORY HALF-HOLIDAY.

WEDNESDAY OR SATURDAY? Delegates representing local bodies met in the Town Hall building this afternoon to fix the day upon which the statutory half-holiday shall be observed during the ensuing twelve months. Tho delegates present were the Mayor of Wellington (Hon. T. W. Hislop), and Messrs. J. Smith, G. Shirtcliffe, It. Fletcher, and F. Cohen (City Council), A. C. Pearce (Karori), and C. J. Crawford (Miramar). Mr. Fletcher moved that Saturday be fixed as the day ; it was the natural day for a holiday. It could be answered to shopkeepers' objections that a person who wanted to buy goods could do so just as well on Friday night as on Saturday. The Saturday half-holiday, so far as he could learn, had worked advantageously wherever tried. Tho motion was seconded by Mr. Pearce, who remarked that the Lamb-ton-quay shopkeepers who had tried Saturday for some years wero satisfied with it, and other people 'should bo biotight into line. Certainly a day and a half in succession was better than the mere half-day which Wednesday would give. Mr. Cohen moved, as an amendment, that Wednesday be adhered to. It had, he said, suited very well in the past. There were people who came from Upper Hutt, Packakariki, and other diitant places who found Saturday particularly suitable.

The Premier, Sir Joseph Ward, and the Minister of Labour, the Hon. J. A. Millar, returned to Wellington by the Tutanekai this afternoon from the West Coast, where they assisted in settling the Denniston coalmining trouble. Miss C. Sinclair, of Nelson, who was last week appointed matron's assistant to ths Ohiro Home, informed the Benevolent Trustees this afternoon that she had relinquished the (position. It waa decided to make a fresh appointment. At St. Peter's Church this afternoon, Mr. Frederick G. B. Gill, youngest son of Mr. W. Gill, manager of the Wellington branch of the Alliance Assurance Company, was married to Miss Mabel Price, eldest daughter of Mr. H. Price,, of Upper Willis-street. The bridesmaids were Miss E. Price, sister of the biide, and Miss E. Gill, sister of the bridegroom. Mr. G. Oswin acted in the capacity of best i man, and Mr. S. J. W. Gill, brother of the bridegroom, was groomsman. The Rev. Mr. MacLaverty officiated, and the Wedding March was played by Mr. S. Short. Nelson is about to be awakened. A Press Association telegram announces that "a Scottish Society was founded there last night with considerable enthusiasm." All over New Zealand tho barometer registered over 30 inches at 9 o'clock this morning, except at Nelson, where tho reading wos 29.98, and the thermometer also was well up. Tho Bluff had a comparatively chilly *53 degrees, and two or threo places had a mist, but none had rain. Early this morning j Wellington was ovefca&t, but the Man ket was probably more smoke fhan va- I pour. This afternoon the sun h sparkl I ing with all hisj old ardour, and premises to be equally energetic to-morrow It seems safe to prophesy that "Iho sun will shine to-morrow." Usually the beat way to bring wet days is to predict fine ones, but the weather declines to be j drawn in that manner now. The grass on the hills is passing from brownness i to a sickly pallor. The following will represent the Oriental Cricket Club in their' final match of tho ' second! round against the Union toam on the Basin Reserve to-morrow <ifter,noon :— Alec. Mor^J. Moore 1 , Little, Billman, A. R. Alpe, Fred. Alpe, Truscolt , Cook, Douonuo, M'Keime, and C. Laurenson ; emergency, F. Laurenson. Junior v. Artillery 8., on No. 1. wicket, Athletic Park : — Luks, Duncan, Donovan, Coltman, Edwards, Burley, J. Turner, Cob urn, Bell, Mullins, and Jolanson. Apropos of the paragraph which appeared last evening concerning the arrangements for obtaining tha full pressure of the Fetono water supply for fire prevention purposes, a- peculiar incident happcnesl during the meeting of the council last night. An alarm of fire was received from a house on the Ilutt-road. The captain of the brigado, who was present, quickly mado his oxit, and the borbugh engineer (Mr. Cook) immediately examined the water gauge at his office. In 8£ minute 3 the water, which was coming direct from tho reservoir, had reached a pres r -uro of 961bs to the square inch. This, Mr. Cook contends, is an amplo answer to tho contention that thß recently installed electrical fire alarm service, and its mode of working in the case of fires, Is not adequate. With regard to tho recent unsuccessful attempts made at tho fire brigade station to communicate with the carotaker at tho other end of the wire, the engineer stated that ihe contract for the service was not Ihen i>ut of the contractor's hands. Ho wao satisfied that tho present system, when in working order, would prove to be effective. The firo which gave tho opportunity for the -test lasu night was in Mr. Tracey's houso on the Ilutt-road. A curtain was set ablaze by a candle, and a few pounds' worth of damage resulted. A large number of no-licence workers, who are in tho Wellington city electorates, met hbl night, in the Baptist Church school-room, Vivian-street, at the invitation of tho executive of the New Zealand Alliance. Tho Rev. J. JDawson presided. The secretary (Rev. F. W. lsitt) submitted a number of proposals affecting the coming campaign, which had been considered in some thirty southern electorates. A number of them were earnestly discussed by hist night's meeting, and in the majority of instances they met with approval.. The general feeling ■of the NoLicense Party is re-ported to be decidedly hopeful, and the campaign is to be conducted with a thoroughness and vigour that' should go far to ensure the j results desired. The Rev. F. W. lsitt will go to Auckland in a few clays to meet the workers iri the several electorates comprised between tho Bay of Iblands in the North, the Bay of Plenty in tho East, and Taumarunui in the interior. Tho Rev. J. Dawson will also pay 'a} visit to tho North in the interests of the no-license- movement. In the boat harbour, Clyde-quay, re cently, a boy named -George Hill, a I member of the- Boys' Institute LifeSaving Club, pluckily and cleverly put into practice some of the lessons taught* by the instructor, Mr. Sommerviflo. ; Several youngsters were having a sunbath in a dinghy, ( which had broken loose fioni its moorings, and was drifting about. One of them put too much weight on one side, and in an instant all Were struggling in the water. One little chap, unable- to swim, was soon in difficulties, for ho was fifty yards out from the safe shore. It was then that young Hill found scopa for his knowledge, and he sobn had tho halfdrowned boy out of peril. An effort is being made to procure- a medal for this act oi presence of mind and bravery. Mr. 11. R. Smith, Town Clerk, of Christchurch, will leave for the South this evening. For Children's Hacking Cough at night, Woout Oieat Peppermint Cure, la 6d.

As the Prime Minister, who returned from Westport this afternoon, has to attend a banquet in Auckland on Friday in honour of Mr. Alfrod Kidd, M.P., tbe Liberal and Labour Federation's welcome to the Hon. W. Hall -Jones will probably not be held until Sir Joseph comes back from the Noith next week. Mr. Hallr Jones cannot reach Wellington until Saturday morniiig. Tho Kilrymont estate, situated at the Lower Hult, will be sold at Messrs Maodonald, Wilron and Co.'s land mart tomorrow at 2.30 o'clock. Tho lots to be submitted number 120 which range in area from twenty perches upwards. The advertisement states that the streets on tho ebtate aro already formed, mcl ailed, kcrbed and channelled with concrete, and that the footwalks will almost immediately be asphalted by the Borough Council. It is also stated that on tho completion of the new bridge to bo erected across tho Ilutt River at Parker's lane, and tho proposed railway station there, the estate will bo within five minutes from the railway eervice. The new public Echool will bo within five minutes' walk from the estate. The terms of sale aro 5 per cent deposit, 5 ' per cent, in three, nine, and fifteen months, tho balance in five years, and interest at 5 per cent. Lithographic plans can be had on application. The detailed advertisement appears in our auction column. The entry of horsts for Messrs Dalgety and Co.'s sale to be held at Wellington to-morrow comprises horses of all classes and include consignments on account of H. Hall, J. V. Dyko, and T. Lawry. The sale commences at 2 p.m.