ELECTION DAY MADE HALFHOLIDAY

Evening Star, Issue 22192, 21 November 1935, Page 7

ELECTION DAY MADE HALFHOLIDAY

MASTERTON SHOPKEEPERS AGGRIEVED [Per United Press Association.] MASTERTON, November 20. Masterton shopkeepers, or a good many of them, thoroughly agree with those of Wanganui that the transfer of the weekly half-holiday to election day is “ unfair, unjust, absurd, and farcical.” A number of Masterton shopkeepers (members of the Drapers’ Association and others) have decided to close on, election day from noon to 2 p.m., and to remain open from 2 to 5.30 p.m. Tire usual Saturday halfholiday will’bo observed in that . week. Many people will bo in town on election day, and local shopkeepers consider that to close their shops is both absurd and unnecessary. With the shops closed from noon" to 2 p.m. all the shop employees will have ample time in which to vote. It is asked why shops alone (apart from hotels) should be singled out and required to close on election clay when factories, banks, stock and station agents, professional and other offices arc not required to close. One queer anomaly mentioned is that tea rooms may bo kept open on the afternoon of election day, but no ono must be cmploy'od in them. Being permitted to keep open on Saturday until 5.30 p.m. is no compensation to the shopkeepers for the Wednesday half-day. It is pointed out that past experience has shown that little -11115111088 is done on Saturday afternoons by shops which normally dose on that day. On the Saturday afternoon .following on the last election business'was so poor that several shops closed considerably before 5.30 p.m.