TMARU BOKOUGH COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3534, 26 January 1886, Page 3

TMARU BOKOUGH COUNCIL.

Iho ordinary meeting of tho Tiuiaru Borough Council was held at tho Council Chambers, George street, last evening. COUNCILLORS PRESENT. His Worship tho Mayor and Councillors Sutler, Gabites, Jones, Hill, W. Hall Jones, Delaney, Bush, Bennett, Bower and Sherratt. cobhespokdexce. The minutes of tho previous meeting having been confirmed, tho following correspondence was read and dealt with : — Fro:;i .vfr C. It. Shaw, asking for the formation of the West Town Belt, now under contract, to be exlendo.l past his premises. Referred to the Works Committee to report on. Mr Ebenezer Smith wrote complaining that the water was not put on tho Main Road from the Melville Hotel southwards daily. Uhe reservoir keeper wrote stating that there was a full head of water at the reserToir. THURSDAY HALS-HOLIDAY MOVEMENT. A deputation consisting of three gentlemen and four Indies, members of tho Early Closing Association, waited on the Council iv support of tho petition to change the Government half -holiday from Saturday to Thursday. .. ■ •• Mr King, one of the deputation, explained at some length the benefit those concerned ■would derive by having tho half-holiday on tho Thursday. He also mentioned the counter petition that had been sighed, and stated that a large number of the employees who had eignod that petition had done so under the false impression that if the '. halfholiday was transferred from tho Saturday to tha Thursday, and did not turn out to be a success, they would lose their halfholiday altogether. Afterwards, when they had it oxplained to them that such would not bo tho case, they had signed another petitijn which he then presented, asking that their names be era: od from the counter, petition. ' The Town Clork then read the petition presented by Mr King. " - Mr' Nudings also spoke to the petition, ond on behalf of Mrs Milton, said the half-holi-day on the Thursday would bo ofj great

benefit to those females engaged m the showrooms, who had to work till very late on Saturday nights. In reply to Councillor Bower, tho deputation said they wero not aware that employees could not bo detained m shops after tho shutters wero up. Councillor Bower then quoted certain clauses m tho Factory Act, relativo to employees being detained after hours, and said he saw from them plainly that when the shutters were up all females engaged m the shop came under tho operation of the Act. Ho quoted those sections, ho said, as it had come to his knowledge that female employees had at times been compelled to go back to work after houn. Mr Nudings, m reply to Councillor Bower, s.iid that the saleswomen did more than an ordinary clay's work on a Saturday after the dressmakers had left. It having been stated by the deputation Hint not all the signatures on tho counter petition were genuine, Councillor Bower asked if the signatures on tho third petition were those of persons which the Act would nJTect. Mrs Milton replied that they wero all dressmakers aud milliners. nis Worship having thanked tho deputation for their attendance, they then with drew. The employers' petition, asking for the half holiday to be changed, tbo counter petition, nnd the (hud petition having been placed on the table, Councillor Sutler moved, and Councillor Sberratt seconded — " That the prayer of tho petition of Messrs Gabitcs and Plante, and others bo granted, and Thursday afternoon bo declared tho statutory halfholiday, and that a special meeting of the Borough Council bo held on the 22nd February next, at 8 p.m., for tho purpose of confirming this resolution, and that the same be publicly notified, as per section 3 of the Employment of Females Act 1885." Councillor Gabites could not eeo how the Council could deal with the petition of the employers. Councillor Bush warned tho Council not to act too rashly m tho matter. Ho knew, ho said, that some of the employers were against the 'Jhui'sday half-holiday, and thought that if it were granted the Council would, m a month or two, have another asking them to re-change tho day. Councillor ilill would support tlio motion. He did not take such a view of the question as did Councillor Bush, Councillor Sntlor m speakiDg to his motion reiicl a clause m tlio Act giving power to the Council to chaugo the day. He did not see what objection could be possibly made, to having the half-holiday on tho Thursday. All tho employers and nearly all tho employees wore m favor of tho chango, a:-d that was all the Council had to consider. Councillors W. Jones and Sherratt also spoke m favor of the motion. Councillor W. Hall Jones said the omV lovers ougl.t io be complimented on giving their employees to half-holiday nsked for. (Hear, hear.) Ho could not see why Councillors should object to granting tho concession asked for. Councillor Pelaney stilted that he had made enquiries and found that no fewer than 23 saleswomen would be affected by the hnlfholiday. He also was thoroughly m favor of the change. Councillor Hill asked if tho chanpo would alTect apprentices, to which His Worship replied th;it ).s regarded their hours it would not. Councillor Bower then moved as an amendment, hud Councillor Gnbite3 seconded — " That meanwhile no action bo taken m the matter of altering the half-holiday under the Employment of Fomaltis Act from Snturduy to Thursday." Councillor Dower, m ppealiing to his motion, strongly condemned the granting of the Thursday half-holiday, and stated he was quite justified m saying that if tho Council took action on the spur of the moment, they would be doiug wrong. There had been v certain amount of coercion, as was evidenced by what the deputation had stated. Ho noed hardly sny that if the Factory Act had been passed for auv good purpose, it was passed for tho benefit of thoeo cngagcl m crowded workrooms, and not for 1 1)030 m tho full health and strength of manhood. Tho question ought to be left open, for it was his firm conviction thut they woul.i soon get another version of it. It was said somo of tho employees Imd signed under a falso impression, lie would ask tho Council to consider what that false impression was. Then there was another class who objected to the altering of the half holiduy froiu tlio Saturday to tlio Thursday, and they had to bo considered. In conclusion, ho warned tho Council as to what action they tojk m the matter, as it wus their duty to protect the females concerned. Councillor Sntter, m replying, said the first the Council had to consider wcro the employees m the shops. Though the Act did not affect the saleswomen, they were just as much entitled to tho Council's sympathy as were tlio dressmakers. After speaking of the petitions that had been presented, he asked what would be lost if tho half holiday was changed to (be Thursday. If tho employers found it did not work all they had to d ) was to apply to havo it re-chunged to tho Saturday as before. Tho amendment and motion were then put to the meeting, tho voting being for the a nendinont- Councillors Bower, Gabilcsand Bush. Against — His Worship tho Mayor, and Councillors Suttcr, Jones, Hill, Hall Jones, Delaney, Bennett, and Sborratt. On the motion being put, Councillor Bower was the only dissentient, and it wna thoroforo declared carried. BBronTS. The Works Committee's report was read and 'adopted. Tho Waterworks Inspector reported that the raco was m good order. Ho recommended that pipes bo laid on tho wharfs before the decking was laid down, which he was authorised to have done. STBAY CATTLE. It having been stated that cattle had been found on the water-race reserves Councillor Sutter moved, Councillor Gabites seconded and it was carried — " That m accordance with tho resolution passed on the 23rd November, 1885, any person other than tho contractor for water rnco, impounding horses, cuttle, sheep or pigs, be paid tho bonus allowed the contractor for impounding horses, &c, and that this resolution be advortised." Councillor Sutter also moved — " That the contractor get notice that if ho fails to impound any cattlo trespassing on tho waterrace reservo ho will be dismissed at once.": — Carried. ACCOUNTS. Accounts to the amount of £C 5 3s Bd wero passed for payment and tho Council then adjourned.