SHOPS AND FACTORIES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11146, 9 December 1907, Page 2

SHOPS AND FACTORIES.

THE HOLIDAt QUESTION

A discussion lias taken place among a number 'of shopkeepers as to whether some provision could not be made by which the lialf- holiday on Thursday could be commenced at' noon and the extra hour put on to Saturday night, thus enabling shopis to close at teri on the week-end night, when business is generally brisk. This proposal, however, does not meet with unanimous approval, even if the technicalities could be got over, which is not an easy matter. It is pointed out that if the period for shopping, were extended to ten on Saturday nights, people who have now ; got into: the r habit of making their purchases before rime would fall back into the old style of : rushing iii at the last moment for the things they could just as well have got earlier 7 m the evening. And whilst there is not unanimity among the shopkeepers as, to .the advisability of such a change, the employes questioned, on the' subject were 'found to be strongly, against it. • They .regard the hour's difference on Saturday night as a great boon. . " When nine o'clock comes ' on a. night such, as this (a hot summer evening) I can tell you that we feel we have had a quite long enough day. No doubt we could go on longer, as we had' to do before the nine o'clock closing scheme came m, but it would be very much against the grain to have, to do it," said one employe. '• - The amended Shops and Factories Act has been anticipated with' a, good deal of interest, to ascertain what the Legislature had , done m the , matter of the shops and factories' half -holiday. Representations had been .made from; Gisborne on that point, showing how absurd ■" and inconvenient it is, that' the ;em"j>l6yes of one establishment had to 'have" separate half - holidays, according to whether they came under the 'definition of shop /hands or factory workers. The shop assistants, for instance, had to go off on the Thursday, afternoon, while the dressmakers m the same place were compelled to observe their half -holiday on the. Saturday aafterr r I noon. . This is a most irritating- stipulation as far as employers are' concerned, and it is not appreciated by' the hafluS, •who Avould prefer that all "went off on' the one afternoon. The Act as now amended shows that an alteration. has been made by which the object sought can be •brought about. Provision is J made m respect to all boroughs or town 'district^, but not to the cities of Auckland, Wellington,. Christchurch, and P ; unedin, for a poll' to. be taken, to determine whether or not the '^weekly halfholiday m factories .shall be observed- on the same day as the statutory weekly half -holiday for shops. This poll is to be taken m response to a requisition signed by not loss than briotenth of the borough or:' town, district electors. Except m regard to the' first poll 7 (which may be taken/ on any date fixed by the Borough Council or Town Board) the poll is to be taken on the date fijted for, the general election of members of the Council or Board.. It is a fairly :big order to insist that ; the _ requisition yfor a poll should 'be signed by a tenth of the electors, but if that number of signatures were obtained, it would go a. long way 'to ensure success on the poll being taken. The proposal really goes further than needed, the desire not being to compel- factories generally to observe the same day as the shops, but only that a business which combines bothi shop and factory shoifld be able to have a uniform holiday. 7