SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9797, 22 July 1893, Page 6 (Supplement)

SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY.

TO THE EDITOB. Sic, —I have before me a curious letter anent the Saturday half-holiday. From the words used therein and the manner of construction it is difficult to extract meaning—impossible. to extract reason. Its contortions remind one of the scrum of the Kilkenny cats : it contains all the elements of self-destruction. The writer refers to some conference of employers' delegates held in Wellington in 1891, and largely quotes from a report presented by that body. I have not seen the report, but if the extracts quoted therefrom are a fair criterion of its contents, it is an able document, full of sound judgment and common sense, and truly prophetic —a deduction that cannot be made from the letter before me. I give one extract as a specimen of the style used to convince a reflecting public:—

" The local press stated of Dunedin that 80 per cent, of its shopkeepers had signed a petition in favour of a mid-week half-holiday as against the Saturday, which statement can only have been made to turn public opinion against the Saturday, as the facts relating thereto are as follow :—Dunedin has over 315 shopkeepers, who employ over 1000 assistants. and these certainly have some right to a voice in deciding upon what day the half-holiday shall be observed; whilst there are over double that number of small traders who are not employers under the proposed or present act; yet we are told, with a boldness of concision that by its assumption of an appearance of dignity and truth which actually challenges refutation, that 80 per cent, of Dunedin tradesmen favour a mid-week half-holiday because about 150 signatures have been obtained from a class numerically over 1000 strong. Sir, I have no hesitation in affirming that such statements are a part of systematic underhand opposition against the Saturday half-holiday, which cannot be overthrown by fair means, as it is supported by the public."

From this extract we gather that there are 315 shopkeepers in Dunedin, and I know there are some 33 shops vacant. Of these 315 shopkeepers, 251 have just signed a petition against this cruel measure. Further, in this week's paper we ccc a respectable woman driven to insolvency who clearly traces her ruin to the Saturday closing. Is it to be supposed that such a large body of struggling shopkeepers would append their signatures to a prayer for redress if they had no grievance ? The mere supposition is a violation of common sense. No, Sir; the struggling shopkeeper, the owner of vacant shops, and the unfortunate insolvent know that they are being " butchered to make a Roman holiday " ; and these butchers are conducting the persecution under the pretest that they "have a public duty to perform." What a mockery! How Becksniffian! . v

Of the 1000 shop assistants I cannot think that there are more than 300 male adults ; the others are probably boys and girls taken in to give importance to their voting pretensions. Everyone must see that the tendency of this agitation is to divert business from the small struggling shopkeeper into the hands of the grasping capitalist—a tendency which a true Liberal is supposed to discourage. The shop assistant may gain his ends by violence and coercion, but never by reason. Respect for your space at the present time forbids further encroachment.—l am, &c, j Dunedin, July 18. Sympathised.

TO THE EDITOH. Sir, —Having read the letter signed R. Clark, of date July 18, on the above matter, and after having gone through the whole of it carefully, I find it contains but a one-sided view of the affair altogether, the underlying motive being a strong selfish interest. There is not a real proof of any kind furnished with regard to the subject at all—not even an alhuion towards those who have suffered already through the Saturday half-holiday, and who will suffer more if they are compelled to close on that day, and I am afraid there are many of this kind in the colony whose capabilities of business are superb—while those of all others are illusions. Then, again, your correspondent says that a mid-week half-holiday would cause hardship, but he forgets to tell you what the Saturday half-holiday has done already to the tradespeople of this town, and the majority of those who do close now would only be too pleased to open but for the tyranny that has been shown and the influence which has been brought to bear on the unions not to shop.. I have spoken to many business people and they all tell me that it takes about three days in the week now to make up the trade that used to be done on the Saturday previous to the closing. Then the comparison of the retail trade to the banks, merchants, and financial houses is an absurdity. This gives us another instance of the business ideas of some people. As an observer I would ask the public generally to carefully consider these things over before signing the petitions which are being hawked from house to house, and ask themselves the question—How are the poor shopkeepers to'live if we compel them to close ?—I am, &c, Dunedin, July 19. Observer.

TO THE EDITOR. ■ Sic, —Yesterday a man called on me wishing me to sign my own death warrant. Of course I did not feel inclined to do so, and gave him a bit of my mind, as I should like to live a little longer if possible. I think it a great pity.that an able-bodied man, as he appeared to be, cannot find,something better to do than try to ruin a number of persons who never did him any harm. There are othera going about trying to get, and aro getting, signatures, even from small children, in favour of the Saturday halfholiday. Can ariyona call this fair play ? l-> think that in a movement of this kind no one bali the shopkeepers should have a say. My experience since the Saturday half-holiday

started is that I have lost one quarter of my takings, and should have lost more if I had not kept open all day on Saturdays. As it is I shall have to sell off my stock as soon as I can, and then I shall be one of the unemployed, unless I can obtain employment from one of the large firms that will benefit through my loss. There is another thing I may as well say, and that is it is a great pity to see men employed in drapers' shops doing children's work and getting men's wages, and then complaining about the hours they work, when at the same j time their employers work far harder than they do, have all the worry into the bargain, and at the same time are losing money instead of receiving wages ss their employes are doing. I have do doubt some of the large firms will benefit if we have a compulsory Saturday halfholiday, for they are well known in the country districts, and of course the country people, as they cannot make it convenient to come to town any day except Saturday, send their orders to them or bay from their hawkers cr travellers, whichever they like to call themAnd now having had my Bay, and hoping some better players than I will keep the ball moving,—I am, &c, July 20. George Street Shopkeeper.