CORRESPOIDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 12 April 1909, Page 2

CORRESPO IDENCE.

THE HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION 1 . TO THE EDITOR. Sir.— The letter of '-'Advance" in your issue cf April Bth deals mainly with certain points advance! by your correspondent, "Martin Borax." 'who is more than able to defend himself in newspaper controversy. The concluding paragraph, however, contains a statement and inference which I cannot allow to puss unchallenged. Ho fays, "On looking through the names of the retailers concerned in the half-holiday question, cue observes that it is a cas> of old-established retailers versus newcomers." From the list of names before me 1 fail to see that this is in any s -use tine. It is a fact that ihere i> an overwhelming majority of those who have rei-ently started in business here in favour of the mid-week half-holiday, but they am backed and supnrted by a number of th? oldest firms in the town, and a close examination of our manifesto, soon to be issued, will, I am convinced", show a majority of the older retailers in favour of Wednesday. But the inference of "Advance" that th"" older retailers necessarily know what is best for the town in its ever-changing condition is, to say tlie least of it, remarkable. Is It neit a far more reasonable inference that the newer firms, backed by many of the older traders, stand for progress? Would "Advance" plunge the city once more into the condition of stagnation from which, through the infusion of new blood and fresh energy, it lias been slowly emerging? For the very reasons set forth by "Advance" the new firms aro far more sensitive to progress-retarding influences tban the old. If the people of N°lson are content to drift back to the old condition of years ago, when work was scarce, and wages low, and population defining they can easily take the first backward step. If, on the other hand, they desire a healthy and progressive city, th?y will be careful to do nothing to retard its business or block its avenues of trade. lam, eic, DAVID McKEE WRIGHT, Org. Sec. Wed. Half-Holiday Defence.