The Reporter.

Southern Cross, Volume 12, Issue 16, 16 July 1904, Page 9

The Reporter.

THE SHOP AND OFFICES BILL. The Shop and Offices Bill again brings before the House of Representatives the question of a universal half holiday which has been strongly urged for some time past by the wage-earning class of the colony. The Saturday ;half-holiday, giving as it does a clear day and a half —that is, Saturday afternoon and Sunday—is growing in favour. Those who are espousing the Saturday half-holiday (writes a Wellington correspondent) are the shop assistants (male aud female) who are compelled to work up to 10 and 12 on Saturday night. In some small places for a few months the Saturday half-holiday might not work satisfactorily, but things would soon settle down, and the Saturday half-holiday become a popular institution. There is no reason whatever why the same half-holiday should not be observed by factory employees and shop assistants, and not as at present on two different half days in the week. The present weekly half-holi-day was strongly opposed when first suggested, but now all are agreed as to its beneficial effect. How many are there now who would agree to doing away with it ?