THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9640, 15 January 1903, Page 3

THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

(To the Editor of the Herald. 1 Sir, — The Borough Council are to meet next week, and incidentally to decide on which day of the week the statutory halfholiday be held during the ensuing twelvemonths. The querfiion as to which day the half-holiday is to be observed is exciting abnormal " interest jusl now m several places m the colony, and judging by the telegrams that daily appear sides liiive been taken, and the matter hotly discussed and argued upon. In most of the larger towns two of the days of the week — either Wednesday and Saturday or Thursday and Saturday — serve the purpose for different sections of the commercial community, and the arrangement works fairly well, except m the case where a day has to be fixed by the authorities for some event — either social, political or athletic — then the factions clash as to which half-day be chosen. In a large city there are supporters for the different days, but m a small town such as this it makes all the difference to those who like to make the most of their half-day, particularly those who follow up games that come under tins lieadin<; of outdoor recreation, such as cricket, football, hockey, tennis, or endeavor to follow them up' to the best of their abi-. lity, and are m some csuses frustrated by a ridiculous arrangement that entails that one section of our tiny community shall be let loose on Thursday and the other on Saturday. This is the reason: why cricket— England's national summer game — has died such an early death this season, earlier even than m past years, when. T understand, the- game has been played up till March. This falling away m cricket here m. Gisborne, with its increasing population,, is a serious reflection on. the young fellows of the village who have "that tired feeling" pretty badly. The chances are that if one day were" fixed for closing early, and strictly adhered to by all, it would benefit largely all outdoor sport, and would not in;tarfere to any appreciable extent with anyone's business. Favor has been largely shown to Saturday as the day lo be divided between work and play, and I am of opinion that it is the day that the Council should appoint as the statutory halfholiday, and so render a service to many who are prevented from enjoying to. the full the pleasure of participating m a •jrame that requires a number of players. Hod this been enacted and strictly observed last year, cricket might have flourished this season, and the result would, perhaps, have been a visit from Lord Hawke's team. Football would be strengthened, and the competitors m tennis ami bowls would enrol a larger number of teams and therefore keener ami more varied interest. In summer pastimes the writer has a hazy idea that the only folk to hold their end up are the bowlers—usually considered by the youth to be "has beens"— for wink they are away winning-- or trying hard to win. —the championship of the North Island. Gisborne cannot raise a couple of cr.ie.kot teams to play a match on Uieir own domain- Even up the coast, where the players have m many cases to travel considerable distances to get a game, th«y have played more matches than m Gisborne. Those who have any lingering' affection for sport, m general, and do not consider turning up to the ground an obligation, should wake up, and T hope the Council will assist tired enthusiasts m bringing about this metamorphosis m. Gisborne by fixing Saturday a,s the half-day for all. Retailers may object, on the score that it •will cut iip their best day, but they must admit that if everyone closes the people that would have purchased i>n Saturday must do so at. some other time, and the* temporary' closing of their business premise* from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. \would be a pleasant break m their at pre«fipt longest and most arduous business day.-I am, etc., H. PLIMMER,