THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2411, 17 January 1895, Page 3

THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sib,—The valuable piece of reliable information supplied by your paper, and the unbiassed manner in -which you have endeavoured to enlighten the public on the Shop Hours Bill, should greatly assist a conference' of gentlemen in coming to a ■just decision. 'The shop assistants are unanimously in favour of Saturday. Would it not bo expedient to settle this moot question by granting them their wishes, arid therefore putting a stop to any further agitation which might bear fruit of a more bitter flavour. By so doing the conference will take the wind out of the sails of those who are endeavouring to make political capital out of their actions.—l am, &c., Anti-Quack. Working Men’s Club, .15th January, 1895. TO THE EDITOR. ’ Sik,—Yon are to be congratulated upon the businesslike and efficient manner the Times has taken to ascertain which is the moat suitable day for the half-holiday, and the evidence collected, in my opinion, points unmistakably to Saturday. There is no extra rush in from the country on that day. The increased passenger traffic both by tram and rail on that day is outward, not inward. Your correspondent “Saturday” in his excellent letter has fairly stated the position. The opposition to Saturday comes from Cuba street only. The evidence collected by the Times shows how limited must bo the number of oppositionists ; and, sir, suppose a few shops run by a man and his wife can keep open for l-12th (one twelfth) of a week longer than the big shops employing many assistants,, is this such a very great handicap for the leaders in the race for wealth ? Unless some such concessions are given to the beginner, the small tradesman will soon be as extinct as the moa. The apathetic attitude taken by the clergy in this matter is a disgrace to the cloth of all denominations, and their attitude at this crisis of the Saturday half-holiday will in due time bear fruit. The absence of either Councillors Harcourt, L. L. Harris, or C. Willeston, representing Larabton, the chief business ward in the city, and almost entirely, favourable to Saturday, from the delegates appointed to decide this matter, has been much commented on. Surely, sir, this omission cannot have been entirely nccldentol. Neither have the Councillors appointed—Anderson, Devine, Tatum and Fraser any one of them had any experience in business matters, with the exception of Councillor Fraser, who kept a book-shop and employed no assistants. The Lambton Ward Councillors’ cowardice in this iriatter will be remembered in the future whatever may be the result of the conference. In conclusion, sir, I would urge the advocates of Saturday to hold a monster. meeting and demonstrate to the conference the real wish of the city in this matter.—l am, &c., Recreation.