THURSDAY AND SATURDAY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144665, 27 April 1915, Page 5

THURSDAY AND SATURDAY.

J 10 TUB KDITOB. Sir,—Hus it not struck you. from a 1 hmiuinhurian point oi view, Unit Sauiri any is, ami .should, he the uay lor lue i compulsory hoii-mihdny trow many ■ gins arc mere in our shops ami oinces '•no cannot enjoy to the iuil the reiroai turn needed toi tne development ot mind I and body on the present jiiinsday nnlthoutlay, simply neeause mere 'is no tjmei" They are afraid to venture beyond the town in case the unexpected might happen to prevent their return that night; and ievv games can they indulge in, for the simple reason tha'c the unusual exercise tires the body, and next day they feel unfit for wont. As a rule, on the Thursday afternoon they throw themselves on the bed with a "light” novel (the "lighter” the bettor), and so waste tne afternoon without any material benefit whatever. Wo have also many country girls in our shops, who ted mo they can only spend a night at homo about twice in the year, namely, Christmas and Easter, ’ whereas if Saturday was the half-holiday tliev could invariably drive homo that afternoon and return on Sunday wdthout any rush or tear and anxiety” about being late for work on Monday morning. Last Friday I met several formers’ wives in town. In every case they were in for the same purpose—shopping. To mv inquiries why they did not leave it till the Saturday, I was told there was no time to shop on Saturday; they kept meeting one and then the other, old friends from different parts of the district, and the gossip about their respective farms took up so much time that their shopping was got through so hurriedly that on reaching homo they found it was only half done. Also, in most cases Mr. Farmer took too freely of tho "cheering” (?) cup, that it made him both late in getting home and useless after arriving; and so these farmers found it paid them to make some other day rather than Saturday the day to do their shopping. Tho shopkeepers of Now .Plymouth need fear no loss of trade if Saturday becomes the half-holi-day, as the farmers and country people will need just as many commodities then os now. and will trade here on some other day just ns mueh as formerly. ’’Housewife's” letter, stating the butchers and bakers would need to remain open on Saturday in any case, shows poor thought. The bakers do not hake their broad, nor tho butchers slaughter ■ their meat, on Saturday afternoons, and their respective goods can be delivered to the home, or “Housewife” can go to the shop for it by noon on Saturday, and thus he sure ot getting it so many 1 hours fresher than it would be on Saturday night; also, tho butchers and bakers could put away their surplus stuff and clean up their promises on Saturday afternoons, and not need to ’ he on the promises to do it early on Sunday morning. The fruiterers' and confectioners remain opsn now on Thursday afternoons, and they can do likewise on Saturdays when it becomes the half-holiday. Sunday is undoubtedly the Day of Rest; hut how much , better would it be for the race in gen- j oral, both physically and intellectually, if this rest, was partaken of out of doors , —in our Park, Marsland Hill, or the J beach ? Yet wo find most of the people, ’’ especially those who are in business—

and justly bo. because of the late hours worked the precious night—rest in bed or indoors till noon at least, and so waste the glorious and invigorating morning, such as it was last Sunday. The workers, or, most of thorn, have their half-holiday on Saturday, but instead of spending it shopping in tho company of their wives and children, as “Housewife" seems to suggest, they aro to he found mostly in or around the hotels—or a great number of them, at any rate; and though I do not for one moment wish to infer they all get drunk and make beasts of themselves, 1 do say that many hard-earned and ill-spared shillings are wasted through meeting one and the other of their frionds; ’tis “Come in and have a drink" every time. Some time ago I read in your columns letters criticising people for desecrating the Sabbath to such an extent as is done in all the, colonies. Amongst other things, it was pointed out that gardening especially, and fences repaired and painted, roofs and walls or any other defects in the home, were generally seen to and repaired on Sunday. Now, 1 contend that as long as things .don’t interfere with other people in any way to their hurt or disadvantage, “an TJnglishman's home is his castlo”—likewise a colonial’s—he it over so humble, and he is free to do what lie likes and when he likes within his own homo. But, being a bit observant, and perhaps from a little personal experience too, 1 have found out that the home work is net done on a Bundny for “love." or wish to desecrate the Sabbath, but just because it was the more convenient. If “hubby" has his half-holiday on Saturday and is asked to do any odd jobs to the home, he has. of course, someone to see in town, who will sure to be found of a Saturday because the shops arc open; so ho null elca» himself and march to town, and the odd jobs arc left to he done on Sunday. Tho business man certainly could not think of doing odd jobs hut on Sunday morning. Thursday afternoon ho wants for rest or recreation, and on Saturday he is. under the present arrangement, kept going until late on Saturday night. “Housewife” cannot nhite understand who can wish to bring about the chance. Let me say, ,’tis a nature! law of evolution and progress for the upliftmenf of P’ankind that demands it. and eventually will conquer. ’Tis only selfishnoss, the selfishness of the few, who have no hj.es berond the rakiug-in to themselves the extra shekels of a Saturday, who will not vote for the —I am, etc,, HOUSEWIFE No. 2.