POLITICAL WASTERS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 176, 12 July 1911, Page 3

POLITICAL WASTERS

RESTRICTION OF LIBERTY. PROTEST BY SYDNEY SHOPKEEPERS. Sydney, July 5. An open air meeting w r as held last night at Goatley’s Hotel. Hay street, convened under the auspices of the Shopkeepers’ Defence Association, in condemnation of the Saturday Half-holiday Act. Mr. A. B. Hannan presided.

Mrs. Davis said that the movement did not recognise any political party, had no connection with any particular class of people, except the poor shopkeepers of New South Wales. They were in accord with the aspirations and aims of the Shop Assistants’ Union, and had no quarrel with the merchant princes of Sydney. All they asked was that the small shops should be allowed to remain open to carry on a legitimate trade. “I am a labour supporter pure and simple, but I do not think that the Labour Government—my Government — shoulu have wiped this Act out. It should have been the first move of their legislative administration. It is an Act that restricts the ordinary commerce of the ordinary people. We ask Parliament to give us fair play. By allowing this Act to remain on the statute book they’ are playing into the hands of the fat man. Let them rise and give us fair play.” Mr. George D. Turner said there were at present in Parliament some men “who are the greatest lot of wasters imaginable. I do not say all Parliamentarians are wasters, but those who come under the category would be a disgrace to any Legislative Assembly in the world. If we have sense we will deal with these men at the next election, and in their place return men who w’ll m l . .’-n the Parliament of the C entry. If no action is taken by Parliament to redress our wrongs, 10.000 of us will go to the Minister and tell him that the Act is restricting our freedom. If the protest carries no weight, we will demand a referendum on the question, and see that we get it. We have been cruelly treated, our liberty’ restricted, and every progressive and instructive effort retarded. We are here to-night with the object of striking for freedom. The shopkeepers of this State are determined to throw off the shackles and fetters of coercive legislation by abolishing the Saturday half-holiday. We do not wish to quarrel with either the Liberal or the Labour party, but we are here to safeguard our interests. to protect our homes against a system of restriction which is being forced not only upon shopkeepers, but upon the rest of the community. We have no objection to eight hours for shopassistants, but we hold that the shopkeeper should be allowed to trade on hit) own accord whenever opportunity offers. ”