Geraldine Holidays.

Temuka Leader, Issue 3559, 13 March 1900, Page 3

Geraldine Holidays.

A meeting of Geraldine shop hoopers was held in the Town Board oilioe on Friday night to discuss the question of whether St Patrick’s day, being a Saturday, should be observed as a close hoijday or not. There was a large attendance, nearly every business place being represented, and the chair was taken by Mr J. W. Pye, chairman of tho Town Board. Mr Bye said his reason for calling the meeting was to avoid any dissatisfaction, as he believed some had raised objections to closing on Saturday, and ho thus gave them an opportunity to be present and state their views. He had boon asked toapologise for the absence of M essrs Dawson and Tasker, who had sent word that they were willing to fall in with the majority. Geraldine had already been closed up on a Saturday to allow people to see the Contingent away, and being-market day, as it were, the question was were the shopkeepers justified inclosing again on a Saturday so soon after the last holiday ? A suggestion had been made that the shops he kept open in the morning and close m the afternoon next Saturday and then bo re-opened in the evening. Mr Morrison did not think it fair to the public to close on Saturday next. Mr Ferguson said if they all closed it

would be right enough, but if they all agreed to close and if one or two hud their back doors open it was not fair to others. He know that on a day like St. Patrick’s day, when the public came in expecting to get a collar or a tie or something they wanted in a hurry, it was hard to refuse them when they knocked a storekeeper up, and the result was that the storekeeper who did not attend the sports, but wont away for his holiday, simply played into the hands of the one who stayed at home and kept his back door open. He thought they ought to consider whether they should keep open till 11 a. m. on St. Patrick’s day to give people an opportunity to get what they want before the sports started, and thus give every shopkeeper the same chance to"do business. In fact, ho thought it time the shopkeepers had a show to do a little business on St. Patrick's day. The public -bouses had it all their own way that day. On 'the motion of Mr Bennington, seconded by Mr Hughes, it was resolved unanimously—“ That the shops in Geraldine bo kept open till 11 a.m. on St. Patrick’s day, and then be closed for the whole day, the usual Thursday halfholiday not to be observed in consequence.”

The chairman said it was the first time in the history of Geraldine that too business people had gathered together to discuss the question of holidays. There was not a town in South Canterbury so easily got at in tho way of holidays, and in their own interests and the interests of the public perhaps it was as well they had met together.

Mr Ferguson thought they might while they were about it decide with regard to the forthcoming Easter holidays. On the motion cf Mr Ferguson, seconded by Mr Mcllroy, it was resolved “ That the shops in Geraldine bo closed as usual from Thursday night till Tuesday morning at Easter.” The meeting then terminated with the chairman handing round a subscription list to raise funds towards a patriotic flag for the town.