"THE WEEKLY HALF-HOLIDAY."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9563, 20 October 1892, Page 3

"THE WEEKLY HALF-HOLIDAY."

MEETING OF SHOPKEEPERS,

A meeting of shopkeepers who were desirous <of closing their shops ou any afternoon excepl ■Saturday, was held in ihe Oddfellows' Kalli ■Stuart street, yesterday afternoon. Mr W. Srnery (of the firm of A. and T. Ingiis) pre- ■ sided, and there were about 80 jrersons present, including several ladies. The. Chairman said that at the request of two or three grocers, drapers, &c, in Georco street, he want round with Mr Munro. a member of the Drapers' Assistants' Union, and scad to those on whom he called tho following mereoTandum :— Vfe, the undersigned business firms, beg to •notify our customers and the public generally that we have decided to close our respective places of business from 1 o'clock on one afternoon ■during the week (Saturday excepted), the day to *c agreed upon at a meeting to be held in the ■Oddfellows Hall, Stuart street, this day (Wednesday), at 8 o'clock. Those in favour of Saturday were not taken in She round made by himself (the chairman) and Sir Munro. They were very few. They saw ■60 principals, representing 64- establishments They then called this meeting. All that was 4o be done was to name the clay. He might mention that Mr Lawrence had sent a letter ■apologmag for non-attendance, and saying that •any day would suit him "biXt -Saturday. Several other names had also been sent '« '^ day> vi 2" Mr w- D- Houston, ffl. Solomon and Co., Mr J. Gillies, the Uavis Machine Company, and J. Campbell ■and Co. These made up a total of 68 establishments, and he (the chairman) had not the least doubt that were others canvassed there weald be uo trouble in getting as many more. Mr J* Jolly said that there wa3 some mismndecstanding about what was done on Tuesday. He thought that Mr Emeiy called merely «o ask the shopkeepers to meet together to see what day would be the most advisable for all to ■close. The Chairman said tkat he took Mr Munro fith him as witness. Mr Wood asked if he was to understand that any who were ia favour of Saturday as a closing day had no standing at the meeting ? The Chairman : Yes, that is so. The advertisement intimated that the meeting is only of those who agreed to close ou any one day except Saturday. We are not here to discuss the merits of Saturday. Those who are in favour of -Saturday have bo standing here whatever. We *ook the names of those against Saturday. If you are in favour of Saturday you must fall in with another movement. Mr Wood : Although I am in favour of Saturday I will ask another question. Is everyobz you have asked in favour of any day except Saturday? / The Chairman,- I took, their answer before a witness. Mr Wood ; I can understand your taking a witness with you, and yet those who signed the agreement may have signed under a misapprehension. I have beea round our special trade *ms morning, and'every man said Saturday was She best day for closing. I have the signatures «t: everyone I have been able to come in contact with. Now, the feeling seems to be general that Saturday is the best day that can possibly :. be arranged. There are others in the same position as Mr Jollj here, who are quite agreeable to close on Saturday, and their names appear in your list. Jlhe Chairman; A'l I have to say is that those who have put their names down, here under a misapprehension can have them erased from the list. . " : Mr Owen- Would it not be best to put the matter to the vote, and let those who have the most votes carry it ? Mr J. Mitchell: I beg to move that we close on Wednesday at 1 o'clock. The motion having been seconded, Mr Wood asked if an agreement entered into to close on Wednesday would bind those who were not present. ' Chajrsian replied that it would bind all those whose names were on the list/except they took their names off then. • Mr Wood-. Can you hind them if you have aot got their signatures ? Thei Chairmast: We do not wish to bind

Mr Wood j Well, then, it is an open question. « \ A A- RTHTJB moved an amendment to the' eUect that the meeting invite a conference of the employers of Dunedin to decide the best «ay for closing. Mr J. Jolly seconded the amendment The Ulubman- said before he could put the amendment he must take a vote on the question or whether those present were in favour of deciding on the day at once. ■•■-.' _ A vote was then taken on this question, with the result that 18 were in favour of deciding theday^t once, and 13 against such a course being adopted. The Chairman ifaen intimated fchab it was novr open for anyone to propose a day. He •could nob allow Jklr Arthur's niofcioa,-with regarcUc a conference being held, to be put. Mr J Kikby asked why all the shopkeepers werenot called upon. He for one had not been

Mr Munt said lie was not either. jAfter some irregular discussion, lhe Chairman said that they would proceed to test the feeling of the meeting by taking a

u &r Abthhk said that he never thought that the question was to be "decided in this way He thought that a meeting of employers would be caJled to decide the matter and come to a decision. .

The Chairman said it was now carried that tne meeting proceed to fix a day. ,". ¥/ Wood asked whether it was proposed b divide the meeting. .'• , The-Ch\ihman replied that it was, and that Mr'Mupro would call out the names oi the list and cross off those who were not favourable to fixing any day except Saturday Mr A-bthob expressed the opinion that that would be unfair.

i Ji.?? LL said fcllaf; ther? was not the slightest doubt that those present came to the meeting to .decide to close on some day. not Saiurdav it it were decided to close, say on Wednesday at would be an easy thing to form a deputation *.o see others who were not at the mretinoMr Owen would like to kcow what was'to be m? with thoie who weald not close at all The Chairman: We can do nothing He would now proceed to read the l:st, and those ■who warned their names off could say so Mr Struthehs remarked that that might -lead to some misunderstanding. Wnat he had xndto Mr Bmeiy when ca'led upon was that she thought his firm would prefer to close ou ■Saturday, but that if other linns in tho trade ■were not agreeable to that course h^s firm would take another day. The list was then called over. ' Messrs Sfcruthers and Scott'iutimated that 4hey must withdraw under the circumstances Mercer Bros, also asked to be struck off the list Messrs J. and J. Aithur said thai they would take a free hand in the matter. M"ss Clou-rh ■intimated that she had not quite made up her ■mind.. Messrs Stokes and Son, Mii'ler and -Anderson, and J.. Jolly .also asked that their »ames be struck off.

The Chairman said that he had no power to open a, meeting to discuss anything but what day should be fiied between Monday and Sunday inclusive for the holiday, nor did he intend to take any other business, but he would call for a vote as to which day ifc should be.' Obhers who did not agree with this could do what they liked afterwards.

Mr Mollison said that Mr Bmeiy did not ■snow him tne advertisement yesterday. It was =» cunningly drawn advertisement The Chairman was understood to reply that

.. Mr M'Faelane said that Mr Wardell had .guscmado a remark to the effect that any con•elusion that-they arrived *t would not be binding. If that were so, what was the use of igoing any further ?

The Chairman : If a man's word is worth :any thing, this cannot fall through. I will take •a vote of those who bind themselves to close on the day agreed upon. Mr Wahdell was understood to disclaim any suggestion that any man would break hii? word.

Mr M'Farlane thought that the vota taken should include all those present. After further discussion, Mr Jolly moved " That the meeting stand adjourned till Friday evening, and that in the interim a committee to be now named canvass the whole of the city and bring up a report as to those in favour of and those against the movement." This motion was not pressed. Mr M'Fahlane subsequently moved—" That this meeting he postponed until next Monday at 8 o'clock, and that a committee be appointed to go round every business firm in Dunedin."

Mr Owen suggested that the suburbs be included as well; but the mover did not accept the suggestion.

Mr Dick (of Dick and M'Kechnie) seconded tno motion. '

Mr Kirjjy asked whether the meeting was intended to include all those present Mr M'Farlane said it was intsnded to include all trades.

•The motion was carried on a show of hands, and the committee appointed consisted of Messrs Mills, Carter, J. G. Green, Wardell, Bull Curmng, Wood, Duthie, and Emery. Ihe meeting then terminated.

MEETING OF SHOP ASSISTANTS. A largely attended meeting of shop assistants was held m the Trades Hall last night. Before he business of the meeting commenced, some discussion" took place as to whether it was a meeting of shop assistants or of the Shop ~ ssistants' Union. Mr Clark stated that ho ailed a meeting of shop assistants, and not a meeting of the union. He was subsequently voted to the chair, but before he consented to occupy it he asked for and obtained the approval of the few members of the Shop Assistants' Union who were present to his doing so.

The Chairman said that during the last 25 years work had been carried on in the different provinces of the colony with the object of siiortoniiigthe working hours of shop assistants and obtaining a weekly half-holiday fur them • and although in surue places shop assistants had b. een able to get a half-holiday, in not a single

c|ty "» ti»e larger provinces had that holiday obtained for any length of time, simply for the want of legislation. Various bills had been introduced into the Lower House, but the Legislative Council h«d always been the stumbling block I'.util last session, when they passed ajrfeasuie granting a half-holiday on one Q«y ,„ the week. They were there that uight to discuss what day that should be, and he would deprecate the passing of any resold tion in the way of instructing the employers aboii* the matter. The resolution should rather be m the form of a recommendation - (Applause.) Mr Crow moved-" That this meeting is of Opinion that the most suitable day for holding a half-hohday is Saturday, and is desirous of recommending the same ta the employers." He thought they were all pretty unanimous that baturday was the most suitable day. H f the half-holiday were made general it would be to the employers' benefit. Mr Mohoney said he was certain that the master butchenrwould not close their promises on-Saturday He wished to impress that on the minds of those present, whatever the nest

Mr Blacker stated that Mr Eandell, who had been a butcher for over 20 years, had informed him that he thought that Saturday would be a very suitable day to close. Mr Angus said that Mr Randell had also told Him that there would not be the slightest difficulty in the world about the butchers closing on Saturday. ..*>«"

Mr Mokonev expressed himself as being in favour of Saturday, as the half-holiday, but he repeated that the butchers would not close on taat day. They would rather close on Wednesday or Thursday. Mr Dick did not see what was to hinder the grocers from closing at 1 o'clock on Saturdays • or what was to prevent the butchers from doing the same thing. On the motion being put to the meeting it ■was earned unanimously amidst loud applause 1, lno GHAinaiAy then pointed out that the concession which had been granted to the em.ployes by the Legislature was largely the result ot union organisations throughout, the colony He therefore thought that all those present should take part iv the Labour Day demonstration. He suggested that a resolution be moved to the effect that the meeting show their interest m unionism and their appreciation of what had been gained by it by patronising the Labour Day demonstration. MrMoronev moved in the direction suggesued, and the motion on being put to the meeting was declared carried by a iar ff e majority. b \

■ c r' T wa, s r subsequently resolved, on the motion ?<mw MoRONEY > seconded by Mr Bei^ettlhat a yot3 of thanks be accorded to Mr lodd and the officers of the Shop Assistants' Union for the work done by them in the past in .he direction of obtaining a half-holiday during tho weak."

A vote of thanks having been accorded to the enairman for presiding, the meeting terminated.

It has been ascertained that practical unanimity exists among the tailors of the city on the subject of the weekly half-holiday. All of them, with the exception of one firm, have agreed to close their establishments "on Saturday afternoons from 1 o'clock, with the reservation that where it is necessary for the convenience of their customers they may observe a late night on Friday. The names of the 22 nrms that have put their names to an agreement to : make the Satmtfay afternoon the weekly half-holiday will be found in our advertising columns.