Half-Holiday Question

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 126, 14 May 1935, Page 8

Half-Holiday Question

(To the Editor.) Sir,—The tarce of contesting the hall-holiday question at each municipal election is as costly and acrimonious as it is insane. In the background are Inc employees, for whom tne hali-noltday was instituted, afraid to assert themselves ; in front ot them are the neutrals; a little further forward the businesses who contribute anonymously to either or both sides, and in the front the man with an opinion, who does not care who knows it. We see business men running similar establishments dashing into opposite camps, and partners in the same business favouring opposite sides. Businesses which observe no half-holiday advocate which day others should close. Professional men, clerks and skilled tradesmen, all of whom observe the Saturday halfholiday, in many eases favour Wednesday— not for themselves, but for their feliow-men.

The country squatter with his quarter-acre in some obscure corner of the borough arrives at the polling booth with his wife in an expensive limousine. He likes the shots open on Saturday night. It is nice to sec them lit up on his way back from a day's shopping in Hastings. He duly records bis vote and promptly forgets his section till next election—and probably his rates. The trustee rushes in and records his votes—he has a sheaf of them —in the interests of a man long dace dead, or for beneficiaries scattered

throughout the world. In many cases these people are unaware that they have exercised any part in the election.

From election to election we ignore, if not belittle, our neighbouring towns. A petition is circulated advocating a change to Saturday halt-holiday. V ’sion becomes blurred, sections ot the business community become apopletic. These little hamlets appear to be seething with our populace, and Waipukurau looks like Goldsmith’s "Deserted Village.” It is indeed a pity that all this i energy and money was spent on a mutter that must be reiought in three years’ tune. But must it be refought? if each town, proportionately, threw its weight into the question oi a universal or provincial half-holiday, 1 feel sure that businessmen and employees ' alike could attain before the close of ' the present year a Saturday hall- ’ holiday acceptable to all, except the aforesaid squatter, but no one ever expects thoroughly to satisfy a farmer. —Yours, etc. “SANE.’’ ' Waipukurau, May 13.