CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 10, 11 December 1930, Page 7

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.

RETAIL CLOSING DATES. ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS. A further meeting of Palmerston North retailers was held to-day to consider the holidays to be observed at Christmas and New Year. It had been decided previously to observe late nights on Christmas Eve (Wednesday) and tho following Saturday, but circumstances have arisen to make this impracticable. Mr H. B. Free presided, others present being Messrs Kilner, Wallis, Landers, G. Watchorn, W. H. Brown, F. H. Pegden, C. J. Page, H. Bennett, W. H. Wilson, T. B. Worrall, L. H. Collinson, H. Croucher and M. N. Wallace. A letter was received from the New Zealand Employers’ Federation set* ting out that, where the usual' halfholiday is observed on "Wednesday, the half-holiday may be changed to Saturday by giving previous notice to tho inspector under the Shops and Offices Act. The late night might then be observed till 10 p.m. on Wednesday, December 24, and Wednesday, December 31, but not on Saturday, December 27, or Saturday, January 3. The chairman said that it had been decided at a previous meeting to remain open on Wednesday and Saturday nights in Christmas week. It was now ascertained that this, was against , the law, and apparently if it were decided to remain open on Christmas Eve it would be necessary to close at 12.30 on the Saturday following Christmas Day. Mr Wallace: This is something new. Why didn’t we hear about it before? Mr McKenzie: It is the law. Christmas Eve has not fallen on the halfholiday for a number of years. The department has overlooked a lot of things in the past, and is apparently taking steps to see that there is no further breach. The chairman: We should make a protest. If a concession is granted one week it is demanded by the unions the next week.

Mr Brown suggested remaining open on the Christmas week on Saturday and giving a whole holiday the following Saturday. Messrs Collinson and Watchorn moved that the shops close at 12.30 on each of the Saturdays.

Mr Brown moved an amendment on the lilies of his suggestion. The chairman characterised tlie idea suggested by Mr Brown as an excellent one and stated that there would bo more business transacted if tlie shops remained open on Christmas Saturday and closed on tho following Saturday than by opening for two half days. Further the suggestion would be preferable to employees, as they would have a long New Year weekend.

Mr H. Bennett suggested that a deputation wait on the Labour Department. Mr Brown: It could be stated that this should not be regarded as a precedent.

It was ultimately agreed to approach the Labour Department with a request that shops bo allowed _to remain open for a late night on Christmas Eve and until 6 p.m. on tho Saturday after Christmas to observe a late night on New Year’s Eve and to close the whole of the following Saturday ; if this is impossible, then that tlie shops close on eacli Saturday at 12.30 p.m., with lato nights on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. It was divided to forward the resolution to the secretary of the Federated Drapers’ Association asking him to make representations to tho authorities.

The result of the meeting is that if the proposals are agreed to tlie shops will remain open until 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 27, and close all day on Saturday, January 3. If tlie proposals are not agreed to the shops will observe the night on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and close at 12.30 on Saturday, December 27, and Saturday, January 3.