GROCERS EARLY CLOSING ASSO CIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 801, 6 April 1867, Page 13

GROCERS EARLY CLOSING ASSO CIATION.

(From the Daily Times, April 4.)

A meeting, called by this Association for the. purpose of enlisting the interest of the public iv the early closing movement, was held last evening, at Farley's Hall, Princes street. There was a large number of persons present. Mr John Bathgate occupied the chair.

The Chairman read a letter from the Rev. R. CoDnebee, apologising ior his abaence Irom the meeting, and expressing his sympathy with the movement. He (the Chairman) urged upon the meeting the necessity for promoting the object of the Association. Every hour spent in a shop after the proper hour was' a waste of valuable time — time that could cot be recalled — time which could be devoted to nobler, better purposes. LoDg hours were no advantage to the employers, as business could, by proper application, be compressed so as to allow of early closing ; and if the Association had only public support, employers would soon find that there was no increase of business by keeping open late. A positive injury was done to society by the late hour system. A mutual duty was owed to each other, and that duty was best performed by the carryiag out of Christian and brotherly principles. The chairman then instanced cases that had come within his own experience of the evils of the late hour system, and called upon the Secretary (Mr/ Ross), who read the following report: —

The history of the Grocers' Early Closing Association is son tolti. Its origin and the narrative of its subsequentoptrations extended only over the short period of four months. On the 2 1st of November last the grocers' assistants met in M'Cubbin's Hotel, and formed, themsi-lves into an association, with the twofold object of procuring for the trade shorter hours of labor, and for promoting more friendly and familiar intercourse among the members thereof. It was accordingly resolved that the various employers in the trade be requested to else their places of business at 7 p.TD. on and after the 2nd January, ]867, and to thii request no l'.ss than twenty-seven merchants promptly and cordially agreed, affixing their respective signatures approvingly and unhesitatingly. A small number still held out and refused to comply with the Association's ■wishes. Some of these have recently manifested a better spirit, and are now numbered with, our supporters. But more have yet to succumb, and this is the object for which, we are met here to-night, to bring a pressure of public opinion to bear tSeetually in favor of early closing, for when weeffect that we have no fear of the result. And althougn some have drawn back who signed our petition, and promised us their support, yet " tlie darkest hour is before the dawn," and with the firm conviction that our objects shall yet, and at no far distant day, be fully realiz.d, vre look to this n eetius wirh. the utmost confidence for support aud approval. As regards the second object in view by the founders of our association, ifc is already far in advance of their most sanguine anticipations. A Mutual Injprovemenc Society has been formed, and is in fall working order ; and a series of public lectures is now being delivered under its auspices. But as a report of this branch of our Association would at present anticipate our luture operations, we must not orcceed further with its details.

Mr. T. Dick moved — " That this meeting hails with satisfaction the extension of the Early Closing Movement in Dunedin." In doing so, he said that he trusted some means would be adopted to show these employers who still held out, and those ■who had withdrawn their support from the. movement, their want of wisdom and of policy. Among the Mormons a plan was adopted to get rid of an unpopular person, of setting men who kept perpetually "whittling a stick" in front of his premises, until, disgusted and annoyed, he moved away. Here, beginning ■with tho?e who had promised to close at seven o'clock, and had not kept their promise?, the Society should place men >vith " sandwich"' boards before their doors, until from very shame they were compelled to support the movement. The eight hour movement had given general satisfaction both to the employed and to the employers. The vorking man had been heartily supported by the public in this movement, and no working man would be bo unreasonable as to wish any shop open after seven, or even six o'clock. The wholesale places of business, Government and other offices, were closed earlier, and his idea was that no shops should be open after six o'clock. It was unprofitable to work a man as a machine, for he then took no delight in work. The public should be aEked to Eign a declaration not to deal in shops kept open beyond the specified time. Mr W. H. Reynolds seconded the resolution, and said that all must be in favor of the" movement. Sleep, food and work were not all' a man required. Mothers, sisters, wives and children, all had an interest in the question, and to them the appeal should be made. The working men could not refuse what they asked for themselves. The late Captain Cargill had been an earnest advocate of the eight hour movement, and had told him he

divided^ the day into three>»parls — eight hours for work, eight hours for sleep, ,and eight for recreation. . The resolution was carried. Mr R. Gillies moved— "That Early Closing, and thereby a fair share of time for mental and physical recreation and improvement, ia a right belonging to every employee in the community and one to which the Grocers' Assistants are fully entitled/ It might be asked what business it was of his ; but because he wore broadcloth now, he had not always done so. There had been a time when he wore a blue shirt and moleskins, and he had felt the advantage of the eight hour movement. He looked upon it as one of the greatest benefits that could be conferred upon society. It wa3 right and necessary to the physical and moral well being of many. It was not wanted to do away with work, but only with the weariness of work. Every citizen belonged to the State, and it was the duty of the State and of society to see that he was worked fairly and justly. Experience, as well as theory, bad shown the benefit of the eight hour system, and so it would he with this movement. Both masters and servants would be gainers. He alluded to the position obtained .by working men in arts and sciences, and urged the necessity of giving all opportunity of educating the mind.

Mr John Hay said there was even a greater necessity here for the success of the Early Closing Movement than in the Old Country ; because upon the young men of the Colony depended the future of its institutions. He alluded, in the course of an impressive speech, to the effects of late hours upon the mind and constitution ; and seconded the resolution, which was unanimously adopted.

Mr Kidston also allude! to the evil effects of the late hour system, and the necessity for recreation. A change in labor, even, was a recreation ; but both mind and body were weakened by confinement and long hours. In connection with the movement, he advocated the establishment of Free Public Libraries and Saturday Evening Concerts. He instanced the success of the efforts made by Mr Chambers to introduce the piano into the working man's home, and the benefits that would be derived from the cultivation of the mind. He moved— " That this meeting considers that there is no necessity for grocers' shops in Dunedin being open after seven o'clock."

The resolution was seconded by Mr J. A. J. Macgregor, and was carried unanimously.

The Rev. J. L. Parsons promised his support to the movement, and said that he would urge its adoption upon every possible occasion. He moved, " That this meeting pledges itself strenuously to oppose making late purchases, and to support only those grocers who close at 7 o'clock."

Mr David Hay seconded the resolution, which was carried, not by the usual show of hands, but by acclamation.

On the motion of Mr Dick, it was resolved — " That the Secretary oftheSociety be requested to write to the various ministers of congregations in Dunedin, asking them to take up the subject, and to impress its importance upon the members of their congregat.ons, from their pulpits." The resolution was carried unanimously.

The Chairman read a letter from the Secretary of the Boot and Shoemakers' Early Closing Association, asking that th* support of the public should be extended to the efforts made to induce early closing in that trade, Thanks were then given to the Chairman, and to the speakers, and the proceedings terminated.