Christmas Shopping Hours

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 276, 22 November 1935, Page 8

Christmas Shopping Hours

(To tlie Editor.) Sir, —It was with interest I road in your issue to-day the views expressed by the lictailers of Masterton and Wanganui re the closing of shops on Wednesday next, election day, and ot their decision to close for two hours on this day and to observe the half-day on the usual day, Saturday. It is very pleasing to iind there are at least two towns in the .North Island working on progressive lines and not run by a set of comedy artists such as the so-called Palmerston North Retailers’ Association (who by the way have a wholesaler as chairman).

This association has decided on the hours to be observed by the shops at Christinas and New Year. The suops are to remain open on the Saturday of each week until li p.m. Is the extra half-hour for cooling purposes after the rush which will not be there? Certainly no business is done after 5.30.

Then why remain open until 10 p.m. on New Year's Eve? Why not follow the example set by the Capital city and abolish the late night on this occasion and observe the long day on the usual day, the first Saturday in the New Year. That is providing they don't decide to change the weekly half day to Saturday in the meantime.

I fully expect the reply to this from the association (if any) will be: “Join up and express your views at the meetings. But no, sir, not while 1 am endeavouring to be a little progressive not with any Rip Van Winkle comic Opera troupe.—l am, etc., PBOGEESS.