RETAILERS ACTIVE

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1921, Page 4

RETAILERS ACTIVE

AN ASSOCIATION PROPOSED. THE HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION. A meeting of New Plymouth retailers, convened by a number of business men of the town, was held in the Soldiers’ Club last night, Mr. May, oh behalf of the convenors, opening the meeting in the presence of about 50 retailers. Mr. May said the object of the meeting was to form a Retailers’ Association to protect the interests of the business people. Mr. C. Carter was then appointed to the chair. Mr. Carter said there had been u great deal of discussion in regard to the formation of an association, and he made it clear that the meeting was not to discuss the half-holiday question, but to form an association of retailers only. The Government would shortly be revising the Shops and Offices Act, and this would ofiei many opportunities for good work. There were many other directions in which such an association could work for the general benefit of the business people. He then asked Mr. Quin, who had taken a pro minent part in the movement, to speak. Mr. Quin touched on the necessity of an association, and went on to discuss the half-holiday question when he was sharply checked by cries of “Order!” He ther moved that a Retailers’ ’Association bf formed.

Mr. F. Besley moved as an amendment that the designation of the association b< the Thursday Half-holiday League, anc he, too, was brought to order. A numbei of speakers following consistently drifter to the prohibited subject, and the chair man ruled them out of order. Mr. C. E. Baker asked what the associa tion could do if it was formed. Replying, Mr. Quin immediately opened the holiday controversy and Mr. Baker silenced him. Mr. P. Stainton suggested that the ob jects of the meeting, as set out in a num ber of issues by the convenors, should b< read to the meeting, so as to remove al doubts as to their intentions.

The chairman accordingly did this, saying the convenors put nine points to the meet i ing for consideration. Mr. Stainton: “Seven of which relate t< the half-holiday.” Mr. W. Ambury, in suggesting that the association formed by the meeting shoulc become a branch of the Employers’ Amo ciation, said there were already a numbei of bodies representing the various tradei of the town. If these were all joined t( the Employers’ Association, therebj strengthening that body, some good rnigh ibe attained. He considered that tb« Chamber of Commerce should be com posed of retailers, but this was not thi case. Mr. J. Austin agreed with Mr. Ambury. but he wanted to know why the largei towns found it expedient to have both an Employers’ Association and a Retailers' Association. Mr. Stainton' said it was probable that only a certain section of the business people were represented on the Chamber’of Commerce, but recently he had been canvassing for that body, and the apathy shown by the business people was surprising. In hie opinion it would be better to strengthen the Employers’ Association, rather than set up a new body. In reply to Mr. Am bury Mr. Stainton said there were about 129 members of the Employers’ Associa tion, including a number from Hawera. The chairman said he thought that advantage should at least be taken of the fine attendance and the enthusiasm shown to affirm confidence in the aims of the convenors. j Mr. W. Weston suggested that a refl toilers’ branch of the Employers’ Associa I tion be formed, stating that this would■ cover their aims. He thought the multi fl plication of associations was a shocking 1 waste of money. Everyone knew that ’ things were not going as well as they might, owing to something he could not mention (meaning the half-holiday), anc he agreed that some association was neces | sary., Mr. Carter then put the motion that i Retailers’ Association be formed, and i> was carried unanimously. It was decided to set up a com mittee representative of all the track in the town to draw up rules, - etc. and report to a future meeting and the following were chosen: Messrs Bone, Carter, Quin, May, Austin, Brooker Phillips, Hawkins, Carlson, Cave, Abram Penman, Avery, Sanders and Besley.