EARLY CLOSING. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8595, 10 September 1889, Page 4

EARLY CLOSING. TO THE EDITOR.

Sib,—l notice the drapers of George and the sser lights of Princes street in the soft goods le have not yet adopted the early closing stem initiated recently by Mr Braithwaite in s trade and followed by boot shops, butchers, :. It is a matter of fegret that Mr Braithwaite d uot persist still further in his advocacy, as om the euergy which he threw into the matter, r the time, success would inevitably follow. What was done by the meeting of drapers' sistants held recently has not publicly transred, but they, while they can do much to help emselves, must be aided from outside by pub- : opinion, and the action and co-operation of w of philanthropy. "All the drapers are llmg to close save one hosier." Such is the statesnt made in your columns, and while it is to that ntleman's discredit to hold out, yet it does em mtensly paltry on the part of those large ;ablishments of George street to keep open on c bare strength of such a trifling cause. If the other shops close the " individual "who eps open will assuredly be boycotted, and ither night or day will he have business come his door, so that no loss can possibly result the others by his action. STou will excuse my refening to this subject am, but it carries its own defence. As long shops are unnecessarily kept open so late at ;ht in a new country like this, so long is it a une that cries for redress. I would suggest it Mr Braithwaite return to the matter and ■oke the support of the Rev. R. Waddell, for tance, whose noble zeal has already ac so much to ameliorate the condition the overworked and underpaid tailoresses of i city, or any other gentleman whose voluny assistance to further the early closing vement would be acceptable, and endeavour mark the next week commencing 16th Sepiber as the date of universal early closing in nedm. One word more—that is, to make time 6 o'clock. It must not be assumed that iis proposed in any captious spirit, but bese the extra half hour offers to some a tempon, which they will in time be incapable of sting, and will inevitably lead to an infringeit, and demoralisation and fiual collapse of system. Six o'clock brings the closing ictly under public notice, and tends to the 3tice of punctuality, by which alone the ;_em can bo efficiently perpetuated; while ing half an hour later, most of the public B then dispersed homewards, and only the straggling strays are about, for whose benelie time is prolonged. Human nature is weak, to those to sueak a few minutes extra lot criminal, and in this manner it is c teared the system will be insinuatively in;d. I believe it was Mr Braithwaite himself, is correspondence, first proposed this time. f so it is hard to say. In extenuation he id it as a compromise, but he also averred he did no business at that particular time, is then to he hoped that he will with tho rs suggested make one long, strong, pull-all-together effort to make the (.-arly ug general next Monday. Such closing be; nu honour to nil eiigitged in it, and thy of personal happiness will be mutually ml by masters and assistants. Thut there be no pecuniary loss I hnve always coned, and hav<! no doubt Mint a fair triul will demonstrate its truth.—l am, &c, ptember 9. Shop Assistant.