THE GREY RIVER ARGUS SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1923. HOLIDAY QUESTION.

Grey River Argus, 21 July 1923, Page 4

THE GREY RIVER ARGUS SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1923. HOLIDAY QUESTION.

A perennial controversy sterns to have been revived oyer the proposal to celebrate the opening of the Otira Tunnel with a holiday locally on Saturday, August 4th. Shop-keepers have a rooted objection to Saturday holidays, as they regard that day as their most profitable oue for business, owing to the expectation of : n influx of country people to the town; so that another day, if equally suitable, would be preferable for the holiday. In this instance, however, there are difficluties in the way of altering the decision already taken to hold the local celebrations on the Saturday. For one thing it has been found- necessary to make the programme a sporting one, for which the most* suitable day is obviously a Saturday. Then the Hokitika people have already decided for a whole holiday on the Saturday, in view of the sporting attraction in this town. Moreover the opening of the tunnel is an event that will not recur, and throughout the Coast there is the feeling that so auspicious an occasion deserves to be mark ed by a public celebration. Finally, the form of the celebrations here pro-

posed has a. charitable aspect. It might be added that it is one that will not require the shop-keepers to suspend business for more than a couple of hours. The suggestion to have a public holiday on Monday does not seem to find favour except -with the shop-keepers, and it is at least doubtful if any of their employees would visit the tunnel on that day. Indeed on August 4th only fKsmall fraction of the West Coasters who wish to honour the occasion can be taken to the tunnel, and that is the reason why a local celebration has had to be organised. Then the example of business people in other towns, like West port and Hokitika, on such occasions suggests that local business folk shouldf-stretch a point, and agree to patron Me the celebration, which, in that event, is calculated to raise a substantial sum in aid of the Old People’s Home. In the light of all the facts, we have no doubt that all will agree, in this instance, to act Unitedly for once, and make a success of the Greymouth Otira Tunnel opening celebration.