SHOPKEEPERS AND THE WAR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 170, 24 August 1914, Page 4

SHOPKEEPERS AND THE WAR.

To the Editor of TEE SUN. Sir,—l was very pleased to see your remarks below the letter signed "True British" in Saturday's "Sun." You. struck the right note in saying that all these concerns are affected by the war. In fact it will cripple many of them. It is well known that few employers are going to put off hands if it can be avoided, and I consider that the shopkeepers at the present time are deserving all the sympathy and help it is possible to give them. Your correspondent has only to exercise his common sense to see that the majority of the firms, big and small, have given large sums of money to the War Fund, and when they decline to close and incur a dead loss of hundreds of pounds, both in wages and takings, they are insulted by being called "Pro Germans." "True British" to my mind is one of the type that howls at the poor referee of a football match when the game goes against his side, and a man who, being an employee, gets one half-holiday and wants two or more on "full pay" if he can possibly get them. In future I trust our worthy Mayor will use his influence and have big functions for charitable purposes on the legal lialf-holiday, and not interfere with the five and a-half days that are necessary to conduct the business of the country. He can rely on the solid support of the firms and employees. In all appeals for .money the shops are called on first, and respond loyally, and while this war is on and we are all doing out best, I sincerely trust there w r ill be no more letters of the type written bv "True British. I am, etc., SHOPKEEPER.