THE WEEKLY HALF-HOLIDAY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2288, 23 November 1889, Page 2

THE WEEKLY HALF-HOLIDAY

Our readers generally are so well awaro of the history of the movement for the establishment of ft weekly half holiday m Ashburton, that it is not necessary m referring to the present position that we Bhcrald recapitulate all that has taken place. It will suffice for our present purpose to indicate that the matter has now reached a stago when the question of final buccobb depends upon tho action taken l«f the public generally. Prima facie it would seem that if the business establishments m Timaru and Invefi cargill— both, like Ashburton, th'ecentreß of large agricultural districts — can close j one afternoon m the week, as they do, I without loss to the proprietors or iuconvonience to the public, bo also can those of Aehburton. Bat places, like people, have their idiosynoracies, and we are assured that, notwithstanding the presumption of identical conditions here, as m the other towns referred to, there are local difficulties of a character peculiar to this particular district. Those difficulties it appears mainly nrise from the fact that a number of people—dairyowners and others — have made it their habit to visit Ashburton on Wednesdays, to dispose of their produce and make their purchanes, as well as en Saturdays, and some of them (a very few no doubt, but still some) have, it is said, intimated to their tradesmen that if they close on Wednesday afternoon they will transfer their custom to others who do not support tho Wednesday half-holiday. Now if thiß be so, wo venture to urge upon such persons that such a course is crnelly selfish, and directly opposed to one of the cardinal tenets of the religion which we all profess, viz., that we should do as we would bo done by. And we ask those who have unreflectingly hitherto opposed the half-holiday movement to consider the claims of masters and employees, including young people of both sexes, who are kept at indoor work from week's end to week's end without any opportunity for healthful recreation other than the Wednesday half-holiday aflords^ Country people, who may be said to live m the opon-air, perhaps hardly appreciate the boon which an occasional outing affords to those who lead Bodentary lives ; but a moment's thought will show them that a sound mind m a I sound body is soaroely possible under conditions whioh imply continuous seclusion from the sunlight and the health-giving breeaes. Now-a-days, we have all sorts of societies, Iho object of whioh is the improvement of tho human race ; nay, there are, very properly, organisations which take cognisance of the treatment of animals. We send missions to the heathon, we care for our horses, our dogß, and even our cats, and it would bo a disgrace to our civilisation to have no oare for the health and happiness of those of our own people who dwell m our oities and towns, and are engaged all their lives m the busy marts of trade. Dickenß has pictured for ub a Mrs Jellaby toiling with an anxious enthusiasm m the manufacture of flannel petticoats to cover tho nakedness of the dear little niggers of JBorrioboola Gha, and at the same time letting her own little oneß run about m rags for the want of the stitch m time that saves nine ; and the fancy portrait thus drawn is transferred to the canvas of real life m the case of those people who, while ready to giye their assistance to all sorts of Other " oauses," forget that or those who dwell m their midst. In the case of tho half-holiday movement residents m the country can do much to help, and that without putting their hands m their pockets-— the almost invariable preliminary to effecting anything m. conn.ectfah with, an,y otfaer good objectr-tb,ey can., m fact, enjoy the luxury of doing good, absolutely for nothing, 8O ye i perhaps, an occasional trifling inconvenience ; even that, however, will almost entirely disappear if a little forethought and care bo exercised. On behalf, therefore, of masters and men engaged m trade, wo would ask i ovary one of our readers, especially those who live m, the country to \sn,'d' r a helping ba.nd by arranging to $0 tjheir business at qtffer times than on Wednesday afternoons, The emergonoy of special need m relation to v maoh>'£e r y extras " harvest me can) aB we poiuted out the other day, bo easily provided for without involving the uecessifiy of keeping even tho ironmonger's' shops* open, and need m no way interfere with tho general observ- ' anco of tho half-holiday, whioh, with the assistance of the public, we hope to gee firmly established m AsUbuitou,

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