SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18404, 10 June 1925, Page 8

SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY.

A NEW BRIGHTON PROTEST^ A meeting of the business people was held in the Council Chambers, .Ne# Brighton, last night, the Mayor (Mr J. Gamble), presiding, to discuss the quesr, tion of tHe compulsory closing of grocers' and butchers' shops on Saturday afternoon. The matter x of the holiday has been dealt with by ( the Arbitration Court and the Court of the award will expire in November next.' The Mayor said that to attempt to alter things in the meantime would be like beating the air.. The grocers of the borough were unanimous in their desire that they should be permitted to remain Open on Saturday afternoon. Mr E. Smith said.that hitherto the grocers had borne the burden of the fight, and it was up to the other tradespeople to assist. .'.'''"■ : Mr J, Shaw considered that a combined effort'should be made, and suggested that a deputation, consisting of some of the most prominent business men of the borough, should wait upon the Minister and place the question before him. He was quite satisfied that in spite of the local effort made, a universal Saturday half-holiday Was coming. Mr W, Gahagan said that if a strong deputation was sent to Wellingtoft, and the matter laid before the Minister of Labour, something might.result, though he himself was none-, too'confident.-

' On the motion of Mr El A. Leaver the following 1 resolution was carried :~ "That this meeting of the business people of New Brighton considers that the closing of the shops on Saturday afternoon is . detrimental to the best interests of the borough." On the motion of Mr Shaw, it .wau resplf ed that a deputation, consisting o| the Mayor, Messrs Shaw, Lake, ■ and Holloway, should wait upon the Minister of Labour regarding'the matter. It was agreed that Mr Holloway should be secretary and treasurer of the movement, and he was instructed to write to the Minister of Labour to arrange a date upon which the deputation could be received.