WEEKLY HALF HOLIDAY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6770, 6 September 1893, Page 3

WEEKLY HALF HOLIDAY.

SHOPS AND SHOP ASSISTANTS BILL. (PAHLIAMBNTARY REPORTER.) Wellington, to diiy. The Shops and Shop Assistants Bill was committed after a lengthy debate, Mr Dutbie's amendment that the lull be road a third time that day three months being negatived by "20 to 12. Sir Robert Stout will probably father an amendment in Committee making »t compulaory for hotel bars to be closed on haltholidays, and the measure is likely to receive such emasculation as to render its passage exceedingly problematical. Before the Shop and Shop Assistants bill was committed there was a good deul of discussion, in which Mr Fish took a prominent part. He protested against Saturday being the wtekly half-holiday, and intimated his iutention of trying to get a mid-Wfcek holiday instead. Mr Duthie also attacked the Bill as an unnecessary interference of tlie liberty of the subject, and moved that it be committed that day three months. Sir Robert Stout said that while ifc was proposed to clpse shops, it was absolutely wrong to leave hotel bars open. Then Saturday would not answer, and he should prefer a mid-week holiday. To say that assistants in country stores should have a halt-holiday weekly was simply laughable, for shop assistants in the country had nothing to do five days out of the week. His objection to the Bill was that it tended to destroy small traders and to encourage the large class of sh«ps. Mr Sanndera agreed with the member for Inangahua as to the urgent necessity of closing bars on the statutory half-holiday, and intimated his intention of opposing the Bill at every stage unless an amendment in the direction indicated was made. Mr Sheta described the Bill as perfect, which drew from Mr Buckland the remark that the senior member for Aucklaucl would consider all legislation introduced by the Government perfect till the vacant portfolio was filled, and then on finding his claims had been overlooked, he would condemn whatever they introduced. The amendment was defeated by 20 to 12, and the Bill committed at two, progress being immediately reported. The measure promises to have a very rough handling in Committee.