THE HALF-HOLIDAY.-A SUGGESTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9568, 26 October 1892, Page 3

THE HALF-HOLIDAY.-A SUGGESTION.

I TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Seeing the great difficulty that has arisen about the weekly half T holiday,^ and observing from the numerous letters that have appeared; in the papers on the subject from shopkeepers and others, giving their several opinions which they profess to hold, on the grounds of consulting the public convenience. If that be so, then I say let tho public decide. I would venture to suggest a simple way out of the difficulty—viz , let employers and employes take a back seat in the meantime ; let a deputation of uninterested citizens request the mayor to call a full meeting of the abovenamed and ask them to pass a resolution at said meeting, leaving the matter entirely in the hands of the public and Bgreeing (under penalty, if need be) to-abide by the voice of the majority. Then let a plebiscite be taken in the city and suburbs, putting before the electors something like the following issue:—Having regard to the public convenience, which of the undermentioned days do you consider the more' suitable for holding the proposed half-holiday —Wednesday =6r Saturday ?

I expect such another plebiscite will be taken shortly witn regard to the Ocean Beach Domain, so that my suggestion could be worked out at the same time, and without either additional trouble or expense, and the public would then have (at one and the same time) an opportunity of deciding on the preservation and beautifjiDg of this recreation ground and healthy resort, and also on which afternoon in the week they would prefer to enjoy the fruits of their labours.

. Trusting that some abler pen than mine will take up and work out this suggestion in detail with a view of. obtaining unanimity in this matter, oiherwise what wa3 intended to be a blessing will become a curse.—l am, &d., October 25. Interested.

TO THE EDITOR,

Sir, —In your advertising columns appears a list of shopkeepers who are in favour of Wednesday, as the day on which to observe the weekly half-holiday. To my mind it only goes to chow the impertinence of those who canvassed for signatures. Quite a number of these tradesmen do not employ any assistants, and are not in any way affected by the act, therefore in my opinion that list cannot be taken as any satisfactory guide to the feeling of employers generally. The canvassers seem to have done their best to get a number of signatures without regard to the business standing of their owners. I am glad to see that most of the principal firms have not signed their names to the list. I don't think that the formidable array of names will have much weight with the public after the behaviour of some of those who canvassed for the signatures.—l am, &c, Dunedin, October 25. J. C. MC