CORRESPONDENCE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 83, 8 April 1911, Page 9

CORRESPONDENCE.

RE SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY. TO THE EDITOB. Sir, — An ex-member of your staff, for some tine now connected with the Sydney Dai'y Telegraph, writes me as follows :—: — "I haven't found time to pick up individual opinions, but I find that our people « ent to some trouble in the matter. According to "D.T." staff, who made tho enquiries, the unanimous answer mads to the question as to whether Saturday was preferable to the Wednesday half-holiday was \ine of satisfaction with the change. No shopkeeper had noticed any damaging effect upon business — it merely meant that the big shopping day of the week was changed from Saturday to Friday. The same story was told by drapers, grocers, boot salesmen, etc. It had resulted not only in the transference of the main, business from Saturday to Friday night, but Monday was now a bigger day, and the tendency was to spend more equally over the whole week. The' only trouble that .bad arisen was in connection with the transference of pay day, but people were getting used to the new order ot things, and most pays ai*e now made on the Friday, and the Saturday holiday is now regarded as a boon and blessing by both master and rneu, and few would now care to return to the old state of things. Some "country districts raised a bobbery 'after a week's trial, but their voice now appears to be silent. "The popular view i 6 that Saturday afternoon shopping has gone for ever. "I can add to this that the city seems to have accepted the change philosophically. The city is empty on Saturday afternoons, but money continues to be spent Saturdays nights in eating houses, pubs, ard the few places which are exempt under the Act from closing. Friday has been converted into the old busy night, people pouring into the city from suburbs, highways, and by-ways. Some say that it has increased the spending proclivities of the people. Whether that is so I cannot say, but it is certain that the shopkeeper is satisfied with the change." This may prove interesting at present in view of local conditions. — I am, etc., T.P. Wellington, 6th April, 1911.