STATUTORY HALF-HOLIDAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9722, 18 January 1895, Page 5

STATUTORY HALF-HOLIDAY.

BREAKDOWN OF THE CONFERENCE.

THE CITY COUNCIL REFUSES TO TAKE PART.

At the City Council yesterday evening the question of the statutory half-holiday came up for discussion. At an early stage several petitions were received in reference to the day to be selected for the half -holiday. On the motion of the Mayor, these were received and referred to the Conference fixed for to-day. Later on the Council proceeded to deal with the election of four delegates to the Conference under the Shops and Shop Assistants Act, 1894. The Mayor said delegates had been appointed by the Boroughs of Newton, Newmarket, and Parnell, who were entitled to one representative each. The City Council had to appoint tour delegates, one of whom must be the Mayor. Four representatives formed a quorum at the Conference. He (the Mayor) understood a proposition would be made that no delegates from the Council be appointed. If such a thing wore done, it would be a great discourtesy to the Borough Councils who bad been notified by himself. ,',.,. iL Mr. Farrell said the Act left lb to the local bodies to appoint delegates or otherwise. When the Mayor had sent notice of a conference to other local bodies he did so as Mayor. But he did nob commit the Council in any way. They had not had a single opportunity of expressing an opinion, and surely then there could be no discourtesy. The Council were quite at liberty to do as they pleased. He moved, "That owing to the diversity of opinion existing amongst those concerned by the operation of the Shop Assistants Acb ib is inadvisible that the Council should take any further action in the direction of appointing delegates." He was not going into the question of Saturday or Wednesday, bub the Government had no right to put upon the Council the task of carrying out a law which had been left incomplete, rhe Acb came from the Government in a' botched state, and whatever was decided upon musb be injurious. He .objected to being made the instrument of carrying out an incomplete Act. He believed the shop assistants and shopkeepers were quite agreeable to a half-holiday, but so many exemptions were put into the Act that ib would be entirely inoperative- It certainly interfered materially with the liberty of the subject. ... ... Mr. Grey seconded the proposition with pleasure. The Government had no business to place the Council in such an invidious position as to make them tell shopkeepers what dav they should close their shops. These people had to pay their rents and rates, and they should be free to do as they pleased. He would nob like anyone to go into his yard and tell him when ho should close. If anyone did so, he (Mr. Grey) would tell him to go about his business. The Council had no right to dictate to shopkeepers. Saturdays and Wednesdays were both obnoxious, and whichever day was selected, it would give offence. Mr. Garratt said the Government had thrown a duty upon the Council, and were they to shrink for doing it? If the Act would become inoperative by the Council taking no part, he could understand the motion. Bub the Government would then appoint a day, and again there would be difficulty. Any Councillor who shrank from his duty in the matter was a craven. Mr. Hewson said the'matter had been before the Legal Committee Mr. Farrell : Nonsense. Mr. Hewson said the only honosb position was to go on in the matter. Mr. Atkin said ho would sympathise with Mr. Farrell's motion had ib been made in time. As ib was, however, ib was like trying to save a man's life when the breath was out of his body. The Council should not play fast and loose with other local bodies. ... Mr. Paterson said a very great hardship was going to be done. Whom did the Council get the rates from? Principally shopkeepers and owners of property. The Act was so one-sided that great injustice was bound to be done. He would vobe for Mr. Farrell's motion. Mr. Warren agreed. If the Council took no action it would show the Government that Auckland had no sympathy with an Act which so interfered with the liberties of the people. . Mr. Thorne said as the conditions were not fair and even in regard to the Conference, the Council should decline to arbitrate. . . Mr. Glover said the Government had been too weak-kneed on the matber. They had not the moral couratre to name a day. Ho would vote for Mr. Farrell's motion as to do otherwise would place councillors in an invidious position. The Town Clerk said ho bad no knowledge of the matter having been referred te the Legal Committee. Mr. Atkin said the matter had certainly

been discussed. The Mayor said they could nob alter the law by refusing to appoint delegates. And he believed the Conference could go on even if the Council refused to appoint delegates, because the Act stated that the Mayor "must' bean ex officio member; if this reading of the law was right then there would be a quorum. Was ho to absent himself when he knew he was a delegate. Mr. Warren : Yes. You are nob author-

The Mayor : How can I shirk tho Conference after I have advertised the Conference? I am nob ashamed of doing my duty. There is no other place in New Zealand where whab you desire to do has

been done. ~ ~ Mr. Kidd said the Mayor could not exempt himself from tho Conference. The proper thing would be to send delegates with a recommendation that no action should be taken. There was nodoubb they were all afraid of facing the question, for fear of offending somebody. Mr. Julian : Nob a bib of it. Mr. Garkatt said the Mayor had only done his duty in calling the Conference. He thought the Mayor was in error as to his position. The Mayor said it waß the duty of the Conference bo decide whether there was to be a day or not. . . Mr. Thorne said the position was that the Council must appoint four delegates, and thab tho Mayor musb be one of the The proposition made by Mr. Farrkll was then pub, eighb hands being hold up for and eight against. The Mayor said he should give the casting vote against. _ A division was, however, called for. Ihe voting was then as follows -.—For: Messrs. Warren, Farrell, Glover, Julian, Grey, Hesketh, Thorne, Courtney, and Paterson (9). Against: Messrs. Hewson, Whibe, 1 Sbichbury, Dignan, Atkin, Kidd, Garratt, and the Mayor (8). The motion was thus carried by one. After the meeting the Mayor telegraphed to the Hon. W. P. Reeves asking whab was to be done under the circumstances ?

The conference of delegates to settle the statutory half-holiday meetß to-day at the City Council Chambers at noon. Whether ib will be able to settle anything is at present a moot point. A meeting of the committee in favour or Wednesday was held yesterday morning, when speakers were appointed to state the views of the committee to the conference in the event of its deciding to hear deputations. The hon. secretary of the committee has forwarded to the conference copies of the resolutions passed at Tuesday's meetinc. The Knights of Labour have instructed their secretary to communicate with the City Council recommending Saturday as the day for the half-holiday, and the butchers have sent in a petition In favour of Wednesday. "■■.,'■, '■ . .. A correspondent points out that or tne 332 who signed the petition to Parliament in favour of Saturday being made the , statutory half-holiday, 38 have since signed the petition, in favour of Wednesday, as have also nine although they are exempted by the Act. One firm counted as four persona in the first petition, three partners and oae assistant having signed it. in another case one business counted as two, while six of the signatories have since gone out of business. ' THAMES. [BY TELEGRAPH.-— own correspondent.] Thames, Thursday. . Ab a special meeting of the Borough Council held to-nighb for the purpose of considering the half-holiday question the

following resolution, ' proposed by the Mayor (Mr. Radford) and seconded by Mr. Theo. Wood, was carried:—" That Thursday be the day in each Weok upon which all shops within the Borough of the Thames shall be closed in accordance with the provisions of the Shops and Shop Assistants Act, 1894. ;

OHRISTCHURCH.

>T TELKGIRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Christohoroh, Thursday. Ab a meeting of representatives of the City Council, and the Linwood, Lyttelton, Sumner,, and St. Albans Borouph Councils to-night, Thursday was selected as the day for the half-holiday, an amendment in favour of Saturday meeting with little support.

NAPIER. Napier, Thursday. The Borough Council last nighb fixed Wednesday for the half-holiday.

WELLINGTON. Wellington, Thursday. The Minister for Labour desires to remind

shopkeepers that the Act provides that, in the event of any other day than Saturday being chosen by the local authorities for the half-holiday, shopkeepers are entitled to close on Saturday instead by giving notice to the inspector during the month of January in each year. At the meeting of the City Council to-night a deputation of shopkeepers waited on the members urging Wednesday as the half-holiday, and presenting a petition signed by many thousands in favour of that day. They also drew attention to the great hardship which would be inflicted oh the shopkeepers of Te Aro and of the town if obliged to close on Saturday. Later in the evening the Council considered the report of the Public Works Committee, which recommended Wednesday, and after considerable discussion Wednesday was rejected by the casting vote of the Mayor, and Saturday substituted. A committee, consisting of Messrs. Penty, Harcourt, Anderson, and Tatun, being one from each ward and evenly divided on the question, was set up to act with the Mayor at the conference on Monday which finally selects the day to be observed. The Mayor, in giving his casting vote for Saturday, said the arguments he heard had convinced him that Wednesday was the better day, but he had declared for Saturday before his election as Chief Magistrate, and would be consistent.