THE HALF HOLIDAY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 14 January 1929, Page 9

THE HALF HOLIDAY.

POSITION IN HAWERA. PETITION CIRCULATED. Some seven years ago a strong effort was made to secure a change of the half-holiday in this district to Saturday by a concerted' movement in Hawera, Stratford, and Eltham. It was however, defeated, the various centres being against a change, and in Hawera there was a,majority'in favour of the Wednesday of 79 votes. There is now another move towards ;the Saturday, and a petition is being circulated with l a view to securing support for the change. Aliy petition for a change requires at least ten per cent, of those on the borough district electors’ roll, the municipal roll for which the qualifications are: (1) Owning freehold property, (2 N ratepayer’s right, (3) residence for a year in New Zealand, (4) occupying for three months at least a building in the borough at a rate of not less than £1() per annum. / The district electors’ roll has on it at 4 present nearly 2300 names, so that about 230 signatures would be required to the petition. When the Borough Council receives a petition, which must _be not later than one month nor earlier than- three months before the elections, it will have the question included on a ballot paper for a vote at the same time as for the election of members of the council

In 1921, when a strong move was made towards the Saturday half-holi-day there was fairly heavy voting in Hawera, 967 being for Wednesday and 888 for Saturday, a majority for Wednesday of 79. On that occasion three voted" for Monday, two for Tuesday, and one for Thursday. Eltham, Stratford, and Inglewood then retained Thursday by solid majorities. The figures in Eltham were: For Thursday 510, for Saturday 340, a majority for Thursday of 170. In Stratford: For Thursday 772, for Saturday 613, a majority for Thursday of 159.