THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12999, 15 December 1902, Page 9

THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

<► POSITION OP THE SHOP-ASSISTANTS

MEETING IN' CATHEDRAL SQUARE. At the request of the shop-assistants in Christchurch, the Trades and Labour Council called a public meeting in Cathedral Square on Saturday evening to deal with the half-holiday question. Mr E. Gohns, president of the Council,; was ill the chair, and on the platform with him were Messrs H. G. Ell and G. Laurenson, M.IT.R. s, C. Taylor, W. Bilcliff and W. Newton. An apology was received fort the absence of Mr T. E. Taylor, M.H.R.

The Chairman stated that the Council did not desire to force anything of an unfair nature on the public. It did not desire any special advantage for the organised workers, but, sought to secure what was best for the community as a whole. Ifthe motion which would be moved later on was carried, it would be brought under the notice of the City Council on Monday evening. He thought that it was unfair fori the City Council to- have the majority of votes at the conference which would settle the half-holiday question, as the majority of the purchasers, who were the principal parties concerned, came from the suburbs.

Mr C. Taylor moved :—“That this meeting is of opinion that Saturday is the most suitable day on which to hold the weekly half-holiday, and urges the local bodies 1 concerned to fix that day as the half-holi-day in this district for 1905.” He said that most of those who opposed Saturday were the retailers. The fact that they said that most of their takings came in on Saturday did not prove anything, as if the change was made, the effect would simply be to alter the big day to some other part of the week. He argued that the farmers would nob be inconvenienced by a half-* holiday on Saturday. With regard to the meat supply, most of the stock was slaugh-t tered on Thursday, and there would be no hardship in householders obtaining either meat or bread on Saturday morning. Mr Newton, who seconded the motion,, said he was satisfied from personal experience that Saturday was an ideal day for a holiday. The small shopkeepers objected to the change. They were not unanimous, ,but some of them objected to Saturday. He respected their objections, but he would state that the same arguments were advanced against the granting of the halfholiday itself. He was sure that if Satur-day-was decided upon, the change would! result in benefiting the small shopkeepers,, as well as other people. Mr Laurerson said that the present arrangement, by which different days were observed as a holiday throughout the colony, was a hybrid sort of a thing. It was “ neither fish, flesh, fowl nor good red-herring.” Thursday was against trade, health, love and sport, which were among the few things worth living for, and, therefore. was bad for tie community. In Wellington, he would do what he could to make Saturday general throughout the colony. Mr Ell said that he ailso would do his best in Parliament' to bring about the change advocated by Mr Laurenson. The workers asked for the reform, and it would not injure anyone, not even the farmers. Six or seven men in the City Council had no- right to block the wishes of 75 per cent of the public. There should bo a plebiscite on the question. (Hear,hear). The meeting held in the Chamber, of Commerce recently did not represent all the shopkeepers> ■ many of whom were in favour of Saturday. The motion was put and declared carried, almost unanimously, on a show of hands. Mr Bilcliff moved that Mr T. E. Taylor should be asked to present the motion to the City Council on Monday fevening. He cried “ shame ” on those who enjoyed the Saturday half-holiday, bub refused' it to others. Mr H. R. Wilkinson seconded the motion, which was carried. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Would you allow me a small space in your valuable columns in reference to the weekly half-holiday? I think it is high time that the blind men of this town should open their eyes as to the half-holi-day question. The wholesale business places can do with Saturday, as they do it now, and because they want it to still continue the. small retail shops have to suffer through the ignorance' B of the wholesale places. What are the butchers and bakers going to do with Saturday morning’s supply if they have to keep it in the shop till Monday? Then the butchers will'have prime mutton, and the bakers stale bread. If that is the case, then the bnt.chers and bakers ought to give the men that are in favour of Saturday half-holiday the prime mutton and the stale bread on Monday morning. I think voir would soon hear "them barking out about it.—l am, etc.. COMMON SENSE.