THE HALF-HOLIDAY

Southland Times, Issue 17347, 19 May 1913, Page 5

THE HALF-HOLIDAY

VIEWS OF THE FARMING COMMUNITY. NOT PERTURBED AT THE CHANGE. Since the wave of popular feeling in Invercargill lias turned in favour of the Saturday half-holiday diverse opinions have been frequently voiced as to the attitude of the farming community of Southland would take up. It has been a long-established custom for the man on the land to make Saturday his market day in town. Then he found the commercial houses, with whom he transacts the primary portion of his business, open during the whole of Saturday. Now, in accordance with the new order of things, the mercantile firms-close their premises on Saturday afternoons. This is a factor which is bound to have a very material effect upon what day the farmer will now visit the town. With the object of gaining information on the question a Times reporter made some enquiries in the required direction. The generally accepted idea among the farming community is a total indifference as to what day the townsman sets upon for his weekly half-holiday. Whether business premises are closed on Wednesday or Saturday several farmers spoken to seemed unperturbed. “Whatever day we find suitable i<> transact our business on we make cur market day,” said one Western District tanner spoken to. The point he wanted io make clear, and be was in a position to gauge the trend of opinion on tll« matter among farmers, was that the farmer was generally free to come to town during any one of the six days of the working week. In fact lie would unhesitatingly say that the farming community were not giving the half-holiday question in the. city any •serious consideration. Boiled down to hard facts it only meant, he said, that if tlie farmer found one particular day was not suitable for his visit lie would merely rid himself of any difficulty over the question by selecting another. When it was pointed out that those against the movement for a change in flic half-holiday instanced a set back to business if .Saturday became universal, a second farmer spoken to said that he could not see eye to eye with tlie people who championed such an argument. “If there is a falling off in tlie Saturday takings of the business houses ii will be made up again during (he week." "But will not tlie point try towns get the benefit?'’ tv as asked. “.Vo. I cannot sec that the country businesses will profit lo any greater extent than they do now.” answered tlie farmer. The reason was, as he explained it. perfectly plain. The fanner with the big cheque had perforce to come to the chief centre to transact important dealings that cropped it)) in the everyday life of tlie farm. Tlie question resolved itself into the establishing of a regular market day. and the farmer was not greatly concerned whether that day was at the beginning of the weelc, in the middle, or at (he end. To his mind it was purely a matter of having unanimity on the question, find the trouble mentioned over tlie alteration of (he half-holiday, as far as ihe rural community mattered, could not possibly be encountered. Several oilier representatives from all portions of South hind, when appruaeited on (lie subject, were practically of similar opinion to the views indicated above, OUmrs again had never studied the question, but when it was mentioned they dismissed it as being a matter of little er no concern so long as (hoy were permitted lo avail themselves of tlie privileges in connection wit.lt business transactions that were previously available.