THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXI, Issue 16, 22 January 1895, Page 4

THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

The Borough Council met this afternoon to fix the half-holiday for the year. There were present: His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Dunckley, MoCallum, Trevor, Ryan, Conolly, MoOallum, McArtney, Farmar, James, and Smale.

A deputation consisting of Messrs H. Y. Browne, W. B. Qirling, Clarkson, Healy, Hall, Morris, E. Houldsworth, Carr, Simmonds, Craig, and others attended on behalf of a petition signed by 73 shopkeepers praying that the Council fix the half-holi-day on Wednesday. Another petition was presented signed by Messrs W. E. Clouston and 22 others asking that Saturday be appointed. In this petition it was remarked that many of the shopkeepers had Bigned the Wednesday petition on the understanding that Wednesday had only been suggested and that Saturday would be appointed. Cr Ryan pointed out that three of the signatures Bbould be counted as one, the persons concerned belonging to one firm. ' His Worship explained the objeot of the meeting and the provisions of the new Shops and Shop Assistants Act. In the course of his remarks, he said that the Aot divided the community into two seotions, shopkeepers and office, so that they had to consider two claßSes, and taka oaxe that as few people as possible were plaoed under any disabilities. He did not advocate any day. A large portion of the community, BHoh as wheelwrights and others, was not affeoted at all. He referred to the olause excepting from oloßing those Bbops owned and conducted by persons of European and New Zealand extraction who resided on the premises and employed no labor otherwise than that of members of the family, as an idiotic provision. Mr W. B. Girling spoke m support of the Wednesday petition. Shopkeepers he said would suffer by the fixture of the holiday on Saturday He referred to different towns m other parts of the colony to point out that the general sentiments was against Saturday. In the interests of trade— for a lot of money was circulated on Saturday. Mr He»ly also spoke m support of Wednesday, speaking of the inconvenience to which the trading community would be put if the old established market day were abolished and a new one instituted. Cr. Smale moved that Wednesday be appointed as the half holiday. Cr. Trevor seconded. Cr MoOallum had intended to move m the direction of Binding out voting papeis to the different shopkeepers, but m vi9w of the magnitude of one of the petitions he would not do so. He did not take much notice of petitions, aB the Council were often presented with ones of no weight and effect. They could have looked upon the petitions, i ■ njf large, asjominations of two days, and tekeSf*p6ti' iiTflSfr'SttßuEr' iKflicaWdT He thought that one day might be fix-d for both ehopa and officeß, as offioes might just _bb well be closed on a Wednesday as well as aTSsturday when the Bhops were shut on a Wednesday. Under the circumstances he BuppoftecLthe Wednesday. Cr Ryaa,' "referring to Cr MoCallum's assertion that th"3, Wednesday petition was signed without any consideration on the part of shopkeepers, said it was Bigned most spontaneously. He Bpoke ia support of the petition. Cr Conolly was glad that the petitions wew n»t of the same length, as he deprecated the sending out of voting papers as suggested by Cr MoOallum at Buch a late hour. Personal y he would like to Bee the holiday on Saturday, but they could not ignore the almost unanimoasly expressed wish before them. Those who wished for Saturday were placed m better oiroumstanoes by the Aot than those who wanted Wednesday, for those who wished for the former day could have it on application. The motion for Wednesday was pui and carried unanimously.