CITY COUNCIL OFFICES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 19 November 1937, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL OFFICES

TO BE CLOSED ON SATURDAY MORNING WEEK DAY HOURS 9 A.M. TO 4 P.M. The Nelson City Council last evening decided to close the office on Saturday mornings and to extend the daily hours that the office would be open to the public. A report received on Saturday closing in other centres showed that Invercargill, Auckland. Oamaru. Timaru. Palmerston North. Mastcrton, Wellington, Grcymouth, Christchurch, Hamilton, and Wanganui closed. Hastings and Blenehim remained open, and Napier, though still open, was considering closing. Council’or ,J. A. Harley moved that tiie office be closed on Saturday mornings, and that the Monday to Friday hours for the staff be from 8.30 a.m. to 4.45 p.m., and that the office be open to the public from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Councillor G. P. Russell seconded the motion. Councillor 11. G. B Hurst said up was against the principle of Saturday morning closing, but he would support the motion in view of the fact that it provided for the office being open later than 3.30 p.m., which he considered a ridiculously early hour for an office to close. Councillor E. R. Neale said he would oppose the motion. He realised that eventually all businesses in the city would end their week on Friday, but until that time a public office such as the City Council's, should be open on Saturday morning. When the community adopted it, the council should follow. Up to the present there were very few businesses closed on Saturday. The Mayor (Mr G. L. Page) said he would not support the motion, being of similar opinion to Councillor Neale. Tiie council office was for the benefit of the people, and the council should follow the business people in the matter. The council offices should be open to the public for the hours most suited to the public Councillor S. •McArthur agreed that 3.30 p.m. was too early for the office to close, and he would support the motion on account of the extension of the daily hour to 4 p.m. Councillor G. P, Russell said the council would not be doing anything new in closing on Saturday. Most of the councils in Now Zealand closed on Saturday morning Councillor L. C Pettit said he would support the motion as the extra half hour in the week days would be valuable. Councillor Harley said he found that the amount of business done at the council office on Saturday morning was nearly negligible. No businessmen wished to pay accounts on Saturday morning. a The motion was carried. It was pointed out that in the case of a discount day falling on Saturday 4 it would be extended until the Monday..'