SATURDAY v. WEDNESDAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 51, 2 March 1909, Page 7

SATURDAY v. WEDNESDAY.

«. POSITION IN NELSON. [as TKLEGRAPH.— PKESS ASSOCIATION.] NELSON, This Day. From to-morrow JjUjlson i everts to the Wednesday half-h<J«9a.y, after trying Saturday for a year. It is understood an effort is being made by the Saturday advocates to demand a poll at the coming municipal election. Opinion is much divided as to whether Wednesday or Saturday is the better day from a business standpoint. MOVEMENT IN AUSTRALIA. As already announced by cable, a Bill to provide lor a half-holiday every Saturday in shops within the Melbourne metropolitan district was introduced to the Victorian Parliament during February. Files to hand show that hairdrespers and flower selleis, and a few other callings, are to be exempted from the operations of the proposed statute, but shops that close on Saturday will be allowed to keep open the previous evening until 10 o'clock. Should a majority of shopkeepers petition against the Saturday half-holiday, provision is made • that the operation of the law shall cease. A movement to extend the ramifications of compulsory closing on Saturdays is being made in New South Wales also, and it is meeting with opposition by shopkeepers. Representatives of the Petersham and Leichhardt Shopkeepers' Association, and also the Country Shopkeepers' Association, protested to the New South Wales Premier against the proposal. The Premier replied that the more one heard the more difficult it was to express an opinion of a decided character. As far as events had gone, it was perfectly clear that the word "universal" could not be adopted, and the question was how a qualified half-holi-day could be given effect to. All the representations that had been made would be placed before the Cabinet, and they would see if a satisfactory conclusion could be arrived at.