SPORT (?) VERSUS TRADE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144665, 27 April 1915, Page 2

SPORT

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —The abore beading expresses tlio sentiment underlying the .question as to which day shall bo the-holiday for New Plymouth. Holidays and recreation must of necesity be "subservient to business, consequently the" tradespeople arc the best judges asto which day is most suitable for their holiday. They by a large majority have declared in favour of■ Thursday. ’They; are'responsible for their various businesses; they have .to pay the’ wages. of their employees. If the business is hot being done wages cannot be paid. That Saturday trade is,two or .three times that of any other day proves conclusively that Saturday' is not the day for shopkeepers to observe - as. a holiday."" "Are the shopkeepers responsible for Saturday being tho busy - day? No, decidedly not. The public in studying its own convenience makes Saturday’ the day it is. Tho shopkeeper inorely lays himself out to meet the demands the, public makes upon him. The publics by its habits of years’ standing, declares that Saturday is its day to do business, consenuontly the shopkfcpcr' cannot; close, unless at great loss, hot only ,tb. .himself - but to all those dependent upoii tho general prosperity "of jthe town. All who are entitled to vore cannot vote —the country people who trade ,in the town not being on the roll. "If you are not personally affected, by the result of to-morrow’s poll, how are you going to vote? If you are a sport you will study the other fellow—the one who is interested but cannot, vote.. The shopkeeper, in asking for Thursday, is /"hot objecting to holidays, biifis. desirous of maintaining the business of .the town —.your prosperity.' Business," to- be maintained, requires the, continuous and concentrated efforts of .the" community —pleasure can look after itself".' ‘Finally, ratepayers are well advised to . weigh the possibility of disorganised business in face of increased borough rates now pending.—l air, etc., "WORK'BEFORE PLAY.