RANGITIKEI COUNTY DEBATES SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY ISSUE

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 March 1947, Page 4

RANGITIKEI COUNTY DEBATES SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY ISSUE

When the Department of Labour, in a letter received by the Rangitikei County Council yesterday, advised that Wednesday had been fixed as the statutory half-holiday in the county, several councillors asked why some districts were forced to close on Saturdays, and others were not. The county clerk, Mr. F. L. Nicol, explained at the outset that on one occasion the council held a special meeting and fixed Wednesday as the halfholiday. Since then, however, it had been left to the department and Wednesday had been adhered to each year. Cr. A. D. Mair: I thought it was compulsory for all shops to close on Saturdays. The county clerk said that when Wednesday was appointed as the halfholiday, closing on that day was optional, but if Saturday were fixed it was compulsory. Cr. J. R. L. Hammond said that in Hunterville the shops were closed on Saturdays against the wishes of 80 per cent of the people, yet at Paraparaumu all shops were open on Saturdays. “It seems as though there is one law for some districts and another law for others,” cr. Hammond added.

Cr. H. G. Stewart: The explanation might be in the fact that Paraparaumu is a beach resort.

Cr. Hammond: That i s ail very well, but what about considering the country people who cannot do their shopping on Friday nights’ Surely we are deserving of some consideration. The county clerk: Wednesday has been the half-holiday in Rangitikei for years. Cr. Hammond said he was not complaining about the shops at Paraparaumu being open on Saturdays but every district should have its choice. Cr. V. Smith commented that Hunterville was under a town board. The county; had no control over it. The discussion lapsed.