BOROUGH HOLIDAYS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 291, 6 November 1928, Page 6

BOROUGH HOLIDAYS.

DISCUSSION OF POSITION

A REVIEW PENDING,

During the Royal Show week the offices and demonstration room of the Palmerston North Borough Council were closed for one and a-lialf days from noon on Wednesday until 9 a.m. Friday. This fact provoked some discussion at the meeting of the Borough Council last evening. Cr. Mansford said that he had been surprised t° find the offices closed on Thursday morning, and he thought two half-days ought to have met the position adequately. Tho representatives of the legal profession, who were reputed to take advantage of every holiday offering,' only saw fit to observe two half-liolidaye, and the matter should be revised so far as the borough council was concerned. Cr Hodgens endorsed tho remark made. He understood that the men employed at the waterworks, under conditions which were not enviable, had a full day off and had to work extra hours to make up the deficiency. It was not' reasonable to expect that when other employees earning more than £4 4s 2d a week received one and a-lialf days free. Cr. Tremaine supported the other speakers. He did not suppose one member of the Borough Council staff attended the Show on Thursday morning. The offices should be open for the convenience of the public. Cr. Eliott saw no reason why a whole .holiday was required on Thursday. t'he town clerk stated that the holidays observed were customary and in line with precedent, according to an old resolution passed, by the council 25 years ago. In reply to Cr. Hodgens, the town clerk stated that no member of the staff was ever granted leave during office hours to work in the totalisator house at race meetings. The Mayor (Mr A. J. Graham) undertook to see that a list of the holidays observed by the Borough Council office staff was 'brought down for review at the next meeting.