THE WEEKLY HALF-HOLIDAY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14980, 28 April 1909, Page 8

THE WEEKLY HALF-HOLIDAY.

Mr R. S. Badger, secretary of the Thursday Half-holiday Committee, yesterday received the following telepram from the Dunedin Wednesday Half- | holiday Committee: abroad to-day that the Wednesday halfholiday will be carried to-morrow by great majority." Mr Badger also re- ' ceived the following telegram from the secretary of the Feilding Wednesday ; Half-holiday Association:—"Wish you 1 success on .Wednesday. Prospects here very bright; public disinclined to experiment when change likely to make present hard times felt more acutely." TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Seeing that tho weekly half- : holiday question is now causing considerable discussion, I would crave your ■ indulgence to view the matter from the standpoint of a worker. Ninety per cent of the question is a social one. It does not involve any decrease in the hours of labour or decrease of salaries; it is purely a matter of public convenience, and seeing that this is so, the question should not engender any bitterness or ill-feeling between employer and employee, for neither has the power of decision in regard thereto, although the legislation which brought the weekly half-holiday into existence was enacted solely in the interests of the employee. The deciding of tho day on which the weekly half-holiday shall be observed rests with the ratepayers and householders, the shopkeepers' customers, and as the shopkeeper is always desirous of giving the utmost satisfaction to. his customers he should welcome the ballot which will make known to him their wishes in this respect. It cannot be denied that the grant of a weekly half-holiday has beenthe greatest boon that was ever conferred upon the

worker, and the passing of the Act was one of the most humane and advanced pieces of legislation of modern times, conferring an inestimable boon on such a large section of the community, and we have yet to learn that trade has suffered in the least degree by the institution of the weekly half-holiday. Nor do'l know of a single tradesman who can trace his failure in business to the fact of his having to conform to the requirements of this Act. Having established the fact that a weekly half-holiday is necessary and essential to the well-being of the em-plo-yerand employee, it merely resolves itself into a question of which day is the best to 6et aside—Thursday or Saturday. I must admit at the outset that Saturday appeals more strongly to me than Thursday, for the most natural time for the" holiday is when the week's work is behind one, not in the middle of it. An argument advanced in support of Thursday is that it is a nice break in the week, but it is something more than that, _ it is a break in the week's business, and the sooner this break is repaired tho better for the business.. It would surely be infinitely better to all concerned if the week's work was able to progress without interruption, from Monday morning until Saturday mid-day. The largest portion of the business done in the city on Saturday afternoon and evening comes' from within the city itself, and could easily be done earlier in the week. It has been stated that the trade of the country people who come into town On Saturday would be lost if the proposal were carried. In years gone by it was tho custom of most of the country people to do their shopping on Saturday, but of recent years Wednesday has gradually come into greater prominence than formerly, until now it is practically recognised as the market day, and there is no doubt that the bulk of country business is now much greater on Wednesday than on Saturday. Stock-dealers, wool, grain and produce merchants, and banking institutions, with whom the important business of the farmer / lies, observe the Saturday afternoon holiday. Practically all the farmers have to finish their business by Saturday mid-day. The most important stock and produce sales are held on Wodnesday.

I do not think that the country stores would reap much benefit through the city adopting Saturday a.s' the weekly half-holiday. Would not the more attractive nature of city shops and the wider range of goods retain the country trade as against the trade of tho country stores? But there is another side to this aspect of the question. The poor, struggling country storekeepers, some of whom, perhaps for many years, were employed in our city shops, but realising that the salary received just sufficed to make ends meet, and that when old age arrived they would be turned adrift, have gone into tho country to try and secure themselves against.old age. They must feel when they see the country residents go past them 'to the city shops, that they have a righteous grievance, for surely the country storekeeper has a prior claim to the trade of the country resident. What would the city storekeeper say if the city residents went to the country storekeeper ? TheTe would be a most pathetic outburst: yet what do we find the city storekeeper urging us to do? One of the war. cries of the Thursday committee is, in effect, "Help us to rob the country storekeeper of his legitimate trade." I would strongly advise all those who are charitably disposed to weigh this matter well before casting their votes, and I am sure if the matter is given charitable consideration and the cou'ntrv benefits to the extent of an extra 20s or so. he will only get Avhat is his due. This struggling individual hm also to contend with hordes of hawkers and travellers, who go forth from our citv shops to enter into competition with him. Most of the large retail establishments send their representatives into the country with large stocks and samples for the country resident to bnv or order from. Improved Txwtnl facilities *nd the care bestowed by the city retailers on their country order departments obviates to a large extent the necessity of country residents having to rnme to town to do their shopping. This is a fact that most of our leading retailers arc constantly impressing upon the country resident. Tt is to be seen on most of their sale circulars. Another argument advanced in support Of the retention of Thursday is that.'anv alteration will uuset approved trade customs, resulting in a considerable diminution of business. I want to know how the alteration of the weekly half-holiday is qoing to affect .the hulk of trade. Would appetites be less, clothing last loncer or the demand for the necessaries of life be diminished? Surely not. I rather think that tho universal half-holiday would enormously benefit trade ; Snorts of all kinds would derive considerable benefit. Quite recently the bowling chatnpionshins were held here, and T mado innniries of pome of the official" connected therewith as to the number of visitors and tho probable amou" + each would spend. My inf-ornuv'_' stated that there were about 400 visitors, and the amount which each one would spend would at a low estimate he f. 5. Total result, £2OOO benefit to trade. It does not need any elabora-

tion on my part to justify the statement that sport is a valuable adjunct to trade, and that the adoption of Saturday as the weekly hair-holiday would result in an increased interest iu sport, resulting in inestimable benefit to trade generally. Consideration for your space compels me to refrain from elaborating on further particulars. Permit me, in conclusion, to 6tate that if Saturday is adopted as the weekly half-holiday, the home life would benefit, because the father would be home when the school children are home, the church and social institutions would be benefited. The Volunteer force would benefit considerably. At present a large proportion of the Volunteers get Thursday, but the majority get Saturday. This state of affairs is responsible for a great deal of confusion and affects the " cause" considerably. Important parades are sometimos called for Saturday, and the results are sometimes responsible for a great deal of hostile criticism on the supposed lack of enthusiasm amongßt the Volunteers, most people forgetting that the existing conditions are in a great measure responsible. 0 The position summed up in a few words is a simple appeal to the shopping public to alter their shopping habits so as to permit of the great number of shop assistants enjoying the most beneficial holiday, i.e., the week-end.— I am, etc., HARRY WILSON. P.S.—lt might interest some of your readers to learn that in the event of Saturday being carried, butchers, hairdressers, fruiterers and confectioners are exempt and caff retain the Thursday half-holiday. TO THK EDITOK. Sir, —Those who contend that the farmers who do business in this city are indifferent on- the question of the day of the shops' half-holiday should have been present at the horse sale at Tattersall's on Saturday last, when the question: "Thursday or Saturday?" was clearly put by Mr H. D. Macdonald. The unanimous shout that' went up in favour of Thursday as the halfholiday placed it beyond doubt that the ■ large and representative gathering of fanners present recognised that the present arrangements in connection with the half-holiday are not only convenient for themselves, but necesary if the prosperity of the retailer and of the shop assistant is to continue. At different periods we have had quoted in favour of Saturday half-holiday the practice of this and that establishment at which farmers transact their business, but in the face of the expression of opinion given last Saturday these arguments fall to the ground. The farmers have spoken, and their united voice'is in favour of Thursday. Where are the stores that do a so-called farmers' trade, now?—l am, etc., B SENSIBLE.

TO THE BDITOE. Sir, —I have read with shame the selfish reasons urged _by a few shopkeepers for the retention of the Thursday half-holiday. I cannot let this selfishness blind, the community any longer to the real issues. What is the best for the community as a whole is the greatest consideration. It is beyond dispute that a, great section of the public live far too near their incomes. Young people, especially, spend too much money on non-essentials, and to them the love of excessive dress and general thriftlessness is becoming an evil. When the proverbial rainy day arrives, instead or having funds to lessen its consequences, the great majority are compelled to resort to any means to obtain the necessaries of life, and accept work which is unsuitable to them at low wages. Landlords _ lose rents, credit is given, gambling is indulged in, all bringing in their wake tie complete wrecking of _ many a man's career. Saturday night is a great temptation to people to buy unnecessary articles, which they cannot afford, and helps to form extravagant habits. No sane, unselfish man or woman wishes to bolster up a small proportion of catch trade at such a cost. For the ordinary needs of the people five and a half days are sufficient, and the sooner that is realised the better. For men to state that the necessary disarrangement of a few weeks' trade will bankrupt retailers is nonsense and a libel on the stability and the business insight and foresight of this city's shopkeepers.—l am, etc., ... DOUBLEYOU JAY.