PUBLIC OPINION.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLII, Issue 1735, 10 February 1921, Page 6

PUBLIC OPINION.

WEEKLY HALF-HOLIDAY. (To the Editor.) I gir, While we appreciate Mr G. H. Bennett’s desire to correct any wrong Jhpression that may have occurred as presult r '6f your report upon the reMnt meeting of retailers favouring Wednesday as the weekly half-holi-day, we still feel that it would have )een policy to omit discussion of our ftisiness at the meeting in question. orhe of the reasons why my company ms refrained from being represented at retailers' meetings is because the wishes of the larger firms, two of which would represent over 200 employees, were frequently outvoted on holiday matters by retailers not having to face the employment problem to any extent: the present organising secretary of Wednesday movement being a case in point. This was a factor in deciding our policy of falling into line with other centres regarding holidays, for we cannot hope to? secure the most capable assistants jf we do not extend the same reasonable privileges as regards hours of employment. We have not noticed tFat this viewpoint has received any consideration at the hands of the advocates of Wednesday. May we repeat here that we have no wish to dictate the policy of an> other firm, and with the exception of Signing the Saturday petition have taken no active interest in the present controversy. We have only to add that with us Saturday closing has been an unqualified success, and is more generally approved of by the public than we thought possible. Further, our 'returns over this special period constitute a substantial record. The company’s auditor, Mr E. Grant Sim, will confirm this statement, if necessary, to any member of the Borough Council or other duly'authorised enquirer. *—l am, etc., H. B. FREE, fc'V , Manager. The C. M. Ross Co. Ltd.