SHOPS AND SHOP-ASSISTANTS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 3208, 7 January 1896, Page 2

SHOPS AND SHOP-ASSISTANTS

We give a reminder- of the clause in this Act which requires local bodies to fix by special resolution the day of the week on which shops are to close for the current year. So far only one local body has given the requisite notice for dealing with this matter. The Act of last session, we understand, makes no change in the method of fixing the date. This has still to be done by the local authority passing a special resolution, after seven days' notice ; but the principal effect of the new Act is to give the local authority an opportunity of reviewing its decision any time before, the 81st March in each year. As regards this district, Friday has hitherto been adopted for the holiday, but we agree that it is from most points of view quite an unsuitable day. The principal thing to be said in its favor is that people have got used to it. If the half-holiday is intended to be a rest then it should come at that part of the week where it will mark as nearly as possible half time in the week's work, that is to say on Wednesday or Thursday. The stock sales held on these two days in the week have been g urged as an objection why neither of them should be chosen, but after all this objection would only apply once a fortnight, and we do not know that Wednesday or Thursday would be any more inconvenient than the Friday, which, owing to the train arrangements, usually sees a good many strangers in town. It would be of great advantage to have the holiday on same day all along the coast, and now that the Act gives power to change a day found to be unsuitable it is worth considering whether a change should not be tried. " No doubt there is some force in .the objection that people have got used to Friday, but they would very soon get used to and learn to appreciate an arrangement which made the holiday general on the one afternoon in place of each town having its separate holiday. The whole countryside from Wanganui to New Plymouth ought to agree on the subject, and make Wednesday the clay. There is one fact which should have attention called to it. The law now compels persons who conduct shops either solely or assisted by members of their family, to close on one afternoon in the week, but they may choose their own day of the week, and must give notice of their choice during January. Hitherto these people have been exempt from closing, but now they must close one day, and probably most of them will fall into line with the bulk of the shopkeepers, and close on the day decided on by the local authority.