CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 9, 12 January 1938, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE

THE WEEK'S WORK

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—lt is about time something was done to relieve a considerable number of workers of a very unjust burden. That is the burden of having to work on Saturday mornings. Why should one-half of the population work while the other half enjoys itself? Probably some people will say it is necessary for the shops to keep open to enable mother to do the shopping while father minds the children, or that it is the only time father can buy his new suit. In answer, I would like to inquire how did father and mother get on before the 40-hour week was introduced, and how about the poor shop assistant? He only gets his lunch hour to purchase his clothes.

The people who consider the shops being open on Saturday mornings as necessary not only deprive the Saturday worker of having a good weekend, but also spoil the worker's family's chances of enjoying themselves owing to the fact that by the time father comes home from work it is too late to go anywhere. The non-Saturday worker has two clear days to enjoy himself in.

These people who have Saturday off, and yet will not grant others the same pleasure, are also depriving themselves of a pleasure. If everybody had Saturday off, we could have one-day cricket and football matches, swimming carnivals, tennis and golf tournaments, etc. It would also encourage teams to travel and try their skill with • teams of other towns. At the present this is impracticable, because half the members of the various teams have to work.

No doubt someone will say in answer to this letter that it is just as necessary for the shops to keep open as it is for the theatres and other places of entertainment, and if the shops close why should not theatres be closed also. In answer to that question, people can get along all right if the shops do close, as has been demonstrated under the 44-hour week, but if the theatres, etc., close, they will undoubtedly cease to function for ever, as they have been established to entertain people. The weekend is the only time the majority of people patronise these houses of entertainment because they 'work during the week and find it inadvisable to attend on week nights. Theatres, etc., can only function when the public have the necessary time to attend them, and Saturday being the only convenient time they have to keep open or else close their doors. — I am, etc.,

SATURDAY WORKER.