CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20584, 6 December 1928, Page 3

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS.

A representative meeting of retailers was held yesterday to consider a proposal from the Shop Assistants’ Union that the Christmas and New Year holidays should be observed on Monday and Tuesday instead of the Tuesday and Wednesday on which they properly fall. While there was every desire on the part of the employers to fall in with the wishes of their, assistants to secure a holiday, it was felt that the difficulties were insuperable. Apart from the fact that conditions are not such as to warrant retailers giving up a day which is regarded as a good one for business, there are other factors to be considered. The dates of races, sports meetings, picnics, and other functions which-have been arranged for cannot very well be changed, and there is also the fact that tbe train services on Christmas Day will not enable assistants who go away from the city to return and resume their duties on the Wednesday. The convenience of the public has,also to be considered, and in view of all these factors the proposed alteration was not considered practicable. ' The position, therefore, is that shops will be open until 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. and there will be no late night on Friday,. December 28. and Friday, January 4. The grocers’ shops will be’ closed at the usual hour on New Year’s Eve. and will remain open until 9 p.m. on Friday, January 4.