LATE CLOSING NIGHT

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 64, Issue 4557, 8 April 1942, Page 4

LATE CLOSING NIGHT

NO ALTERATION TO BE MADE PREVIOUS DECISION REVERSED A largely attended meeting of the business people of Te Awamutu, called by the petitioners and held under the auspices of the local Retailers’ Association, was held in the Borough Council Chambers on Wednesday evening last, the Mayor (Mr L. G. Armstrong) presiding. The Mayor, in opening proceedings, said that in response to a petition signed by a large number of business people, it had been agreed to hold this further meeting to consider the hours of closing on Friday night. Previously it had been agreed to close at 6 p.m., but the petitioners desired to continue to observe the 8 o’clock closing. During the general discussion which ensued, it was stated that numerous requests had been received from country people, who protested against the decision to close at 6 p.m. They desired a reversion to the old hours, so that they could do their shopping first and then go to the pictures. The Mayor said it was essential that any decision arrived at should be as unanimous as possible. The motion fixing the closing hour at 6 p.m. was then rescinded, and thereafter a proposal to revert to 9 o’clock closing was defeated by 17 votes to 11. Subsequently more discussion ensued, the outcome being that the shops should close at 8 p.m. on Friday nights as heretofore.