HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXVI, Issue 70, 2 March 1938, Page 3

HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION

ATTITUDE OF HASTINGS MAY WAIT FOR LEGISLATION. HASTINGS, Last night. It is as yet doubtful whether, at the municipal elections to he held in May, ratepayers in Hastings will lie called upon to decide on what day the half-holiday in the town is to he. Before a vote can be taken on this question in a borough the size ol Hastings, a petition signed by a number of ratepayers must be submitted to the Council. So far no such petition has been submitted to the Council, but this will have to be done at least one month before the due date of the elections. The municipal roll shows a considerable decrease m the number ol voters on that of 1935, and although the supplementary roll is not due to close until the middle of April, very few additions have been received. The decrease has, to a certain extent, been accounted for by the repeal of a section of the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Act, 192(5. This section permitted voting at local elections and polls by Tiersons representing corporate bodies, societies, firms, etc. It has also been stated that in view of the possibility of the Government introducing legislation to provide for a universal half-holiday in the Dominion, no action is contemplated in the meanwhile.