THE Waikato Independent. THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 1908.

Waikato Independent, Volume VII, Issue 466, 30 January 1908, Page 4

THE Waikato Independent. THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 1908.

The Borough Council is to be congratulated on its decision to adhere to the 'Wednesday halt-holiday, in lieu of Saturday as proposed by Cr. Ferguson. No doubt the latter gentleman was speaking by the book, when he declared that he had tried both days and found that Saturday was more suitable for his business. But the matter was one of more general application, for the question the Council had to decide was which was the more suitable day for the majority of business places in the Borough, and in selecting Wednesday afternoons the Council acted wisely in conforming to their interests. The case was well put by Cr, Dickinson, in pointing out that the time had not arrived when country districts should adopt Saturday as the half-holiday; that day was observed as the market day. No doubt Saturday suited the towns and cities, but he did not think the time was opportune for its adoption in country districts. . . . Also that Saturday had been tried here once, but had not proved a success.” The opinion expressed, that the Government would ultimately bring in a measure making a Saturday halfholiday compulsory, is still a matter for conjecture, as it has more than once made the attempt, but has given way to the strong protests which such a proposal has always aroused all over the Dominion. Last session, although two Labor Acts were passed providing for ballots on the ha If-holiday question thus subtly endeavoring to bring about a Saturday half-holiday —the Government did not have the courage to boldly submit a direct issue on a universal Saturday halfholiday. It is probable that now, owing to the Independent Labor Party tactics, that the Government wall not in the near future take any steps in this direction. At any rate it is better to bear the ills we have than to lly to others that we know not of—in changing the half-day holiday in the week. At present there is little unanimity in favor of Saturday being selected, and all over the Dominion, with few exceptions, Wednesday has been the day appointed. Of course, the selection of Wednesday does not settle the vexed

question of the employment of boys and women in semi-factories, on Saturday afternoons) but in view of the universal dissatisfaction expressed in country towns last year, at the absurdity of enforcing the law in this respect, it is to be hoped that the Labor Department will judiciously allow it to remain in abeyance.