SHOP HOURS BILL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10111, 9 August 1893, Page 2

SHOP HOURS BILL.

tO THE EDITOR. Sir,— Your correspondent is in error. The Chairman of the late shopkeepers’ meeting did not decline to put the amendment of Air Delahunt, but, on the contrary, requested the meeting to allow him to do so, although it was a direct negative, and th/irefore irregular and altogether foreign to tbe object for which the meeting was called, viz,, as stated in the advertisement, aud intended by the conveners, to he only for the purpose of protesting against the compulsory clauses of the Shop Hours’ Bill, The conveners, "of whom the Chairman was not one,” requested him to explain thia to tho meeting, which was done. 1 With regard to the Chairman’s remarks,'they were thoroughly endorsed by the meeting, as evidenced by the way they were received, and the fact that only three hands were held up for the amendment. The statement objected to—that if Christchurch shops were closed on Saturday and the suburbs remained open, choosing some other day for their holiday, the Saturday trade would be diverted thereby—required no apology, as it was the truth. If your correspondent is in favour of being compelled by law to close hia place of business at all, but more especially on a day that is moat convenient and profitable to his customers and himself, I can only say that I believe him to be one of a very small minority of shopkeepers in New Zealand.—l am, &c., E. SMITH, One of tho Conveners.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—Mr Wardeli objects to legislation for labour, aud calls on all shopkeepers to oppose the same. Do the few shopkeepers expect to rule the majority ? Do the shopkeepers support the public or the public the shopkeepers? If all the shops were to close to - morrow will it stop the production of labour ? No! Shopkeepers would become employees and the distribute on. would pass through a co-operativa system which would do away-widi the low ooinpetion which is carried on to-day in Christchurch to tho discredit of many. There are many, beside shop assistants, who will be benefited by tho compulsory half-day. Working men of all classes have a right to unite and demand from, the present Government immediate legislation for labour, and support ho railmcters at the next election.—l am, &s, SHORTER HOURS (2).

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—l have ie*d with considerable interest a number of letters which have appeared in your co umns during the last few weeks; i.e, the Shop Hours Bill, and I must s«y that I thoroughly agiee with your correspondent “ Shorter Hours” that all employees should have a whole day’s holiday oa Saturday. As the half-holiday is at present it is only making a fool of it; some have it oa Thursday and others on a Saturday. And after all what is a halfholiday ? Of course it is better than having no holiday atall, but let us have a whole day and he done with it, and put a stop to all this grumbling which has been constantly going oa during the whole of the time the Shops Bill has been before Parliament, eome petitioning for Thursday and others for the Saturday holiday. I believe, as “ Shorter Hours ” has already remarked, that there would be more trade done in five days than there is at present done in six.—l am, &c., BRUNO.