THE HOLIDAY SPLIT

Grey River Argus, 21 July 1923, Page 6

THE HOLIDAY SPLIT

Disagreement Over The Day Endeavours were made yesterday to have tho shopkeepers reconsider their decision to keep open on Saturday (August 4th) and close on Monday (August .6). In the morning, Cr J. W. Greenslade (Deputy-Mayor) got into touch with Mr D. J. Evans (Hokitika) and explained tho matter to him. Mr Evans then sent the following telegram to Mr M. Keating (County CJ.crk): —Trust it is possible to arrange - fol Saturday, August 4, for Greymouth. The day is much more suitable than Monday for this end and would ensure a much larger attendance in Greyniouth, from Hokitika, especially with the football fixture. I would suggest, that you confer with the chairman of the committee and the Mryor regardng another consultation with busines: i people, who could if they thought desirable open for the evening. Monday ns a holiday might also preclude the presence of the invited distinguished visitors, who would be delayed in returning to their Parliamentary duties. Mr Keating then interviewed the president of the Shopkeepers ’Association (Mr P. F. Thorpy) and asked if t would be possible to arrange another meeting. Mr Thorpy replied, however, that ho did not see the use of calling another meeting as there had been a unanimous decision at the previous meeting to make Monday tho holiday. OTHER VIEWS. “ V e must leave it to the good sense of the shop-keepers now,” said Mr J. D. Lynch (chairman of the Celebrations Committee) to an “Argus” reporter vesterday. He had called a meeting for three o’clock that afternoon, he said, but the shop-keepers had been unable to attend. ”The Monday holiday is lot going to be any good to the people n the shop,” he said, “for they cannot ill journey to Otira, as the train accommodation would not allow them to. Thus the progress of the Old People’s Home will be injured by the fact that the programme arranged for that day will not receive the support it would f the day were a holiday.” When one prominent draper was approached by a reporter end asked what he thought of the closing on Saturday project, he said he could not support t. Ho could not sec how the opening of the tunnel was going to improve his business, and August 4th was a Saturday, and a big day with the shopkeepers. He. would be agreeable, how'ver, to close his shop in the afternoon luring tho progress of the representative football match.

TICKET DISTRIBUTION. The Hon. J. G. Coates has approved f the distribution of invitation tickets \v the Mayors and County Chairmen. Altogether about 200 will bo allowed o bo distributed on tho population asis as follows:—Grey County, 50; 'rey Borough, 48; Westland County, 0; Hokitika Borough, 21; Ross, 3; Cumara, 4; Runanga, 8; Inangahua, -0; Westport, 6.