Page 2 Advertisements Column 5

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1110, 25 April 1911, Page 2

The Municipal Electors of Wellington will shortly be faced with the duty of deciding on which day of the week the statutory half-holiday is to be observed. In view of the present agitation to have the day'changed from "Wednesday to Saturday, the retail traders of the City of Wellington desire to express their emphatic opinion that great loss and injury will result to trade and property in the City, should the proposed alteration be effected. The following reasons are submitted why Wednesday should be retained as the statutory half-holiday:— ■ " ' THAT the Wednesday half-holiday has given general satisfaction. THAT there is more retail trade done in Wellington on Saturday than on any other three days in the week combined. THAT Wednesday is a more suitable and convenient day for the half-holiday v than Saturday, both for buyers and sellers. THAT the Wednesday half-holiday constitutes an agreeable break in the middle of the week, which is" greatly appreciated by the majority of tradesmen and their assistants. THAT a large proportion of the retail trade at present done on Saturday would be lost or diverted in other directions if a day other than Saturday were chosen, because no other day suits the country and suburban people so well.! The week's work is practically over, the children are not at school, and hence parents and children are free to come to town to make any purchases necessary. THAT, artisans, labourers, factory hands, and others have their holiday on Saturday, hence, if the retailers are closed, a very large section oi the public will have no opportunity of making their purchases in the day time, but will have to resort to late shopping. . THAT though the. supporters of Saturday contend that Friday night will do for a late night, tlley forget that Saturday is followed by Sunday's rest, while Friday is followed by a working morning. THAT with the ever-increasing rates'and taxes in the City, tradespeople cannot afford to do a lesser volume of business, and the natural consequence of any decrease will bean increase of the cost of living in the Gity, which is already too high. THAT, despite statements to the contrary, the retention of the Wednesday half-holiday will NOT affect any class of " workers who at present observe the Saturday. THAT those shopkeepers who prefer to close on Saturday will have the option of closing on that day, as at present, but if Saturday is decided on, no such option is permitted; a position which is surely as undemocratic as it is unfair. THAT the present Act exempts the following trades:—Butchers, Hairdressers, Tobacconists, Bakers, Chemists, Confectioners, Fishmongers, Florists, Photographers, Refreshment Booms, Hotels, aud Fruiterers, so that a large number of the shops in the City, and ALL the shops outside the district, will still be open on Saturday, while a few of the traders in the City will be compelled to clcse. This is claimed to be manifestly unjust. THAT the present accommodation at tenuis courts, cricket and football grounds, bowling greens, and other sports grounds is-taxed to the utmost on Saturdays, and over-crowding and great inconvenience will result if these pleasure resorts : are asked to accommodate nearly double the number on that day. THAT from time immemorial in all civilised countries, Saturday afternoon and evening have been the times at which a large proportion of the community have made their purchases, aud it is certain that this custom would not have survived up to the present if it had not proved, for very many reasons, a suitable and convenient one. It is equally clear that no radical alteration in any matter affecting the social or'business habits of the community should be entered upon except where absolute necessity for the alteration has been thown to exist. THAT the advocates of the alteration to Saturday have no other reason lo urge than the personal , enjoyment which they will receive if Saturday afternoon is made' a holiday. They entirely ignore the interests of the general public in the matter. The real question is: Shall Business give way to Pleasure? THAT upwards of 5000 shoppers come into Wellington each Saturday by the Suburban trains, and these will be a dis- . tinct loss to the; City. - It] CONCLUSION, is it reasonable to ask that the business methods aud customs which have made Wellington the leading retail City in the .Dominion,' should be disturbed and upset; that a large number of the City traders should suffer serious loss; that the value of the City property should be depreciated, and that two-thirds of the population should be subjected to loss and inconvenience, irirorder tkatr a, small section of the community may be able to indulge in week-end excursions and other expeditions? In every'instance throughout New Zealand where Saturday half-holiday has been tried it has proved a dismal failure. It is certain that those interested in the welfare of our City will show by their votes at the Poll that NO sufficient reason has been advanced to warrant the disorganisation* loss, and inconvenience that will result if the proposed change to Saturday is accomplished, and will assist us in our endeavour, to uphold the present arrangement, which has been found eminently satisfactory. These views are fey 532 Shopkeepers in and who are in favour of the retention of the ,

•CI " GALLICHAN .:.., Respectfully.;..;'.'.' ','',■ •;; , v; SOLICITS Y O U/R.. V O,T E T O-M O R R O W.: ' ; WEDNESDAY SPORTS. LEN. M'KENZIE will take the ball from behind the scrum as of old and try to beat all previous records in getting over the line. DE. CAMERON will also try to eclipse all his previous high jumping and sprinting records. All good sports should rally round them at the Poll and give each one vote. "VT O T E E O E CASTLE, And . a better milk supply. a i t i' election. ■ eeTd W. H. BENNETT'S ADDRESS, and Voto for a Practical Man, whose interests are identical with your own. MIEAMAE BOEOUGH COUNCIL. NOTICE OF SITUATION OF POLLING BOOTHS. ELECTION OF MAYOR. In the Matter of "The Municipal Corporations Act, 1905," and of "Tho Local Elections Act, 1908." I HEREBY give*' public notice that the following gentlemen have been duly nominated for the office of Mayor for the Borough of Miramar, namely:— . Brodie, John Meredith, Vincent Robert Sissor.s As there is only one vacancy to be filled I hereby also give notico that a Poll will be taken as between tho said Candidates on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26th, 1911, ELECTION OF COUNCILLORS. In the matter of "The Municipal Corporations Act, 1908," and of "The Local Elections Act, 1903." I hereby givo public notice that Hie following'gentlemen have been duly nominated for the office of Councillor for the Borough of Miramar, namely:— Bell, Norris "William Bowie, Charles Baker Griffiths, Albert Harold Grigg, Alexander Laurenson, Fleming. Muir, James Richards, Herbert Ernest Stone, Stanley Mercer Telford, William Underwood, Sydney Houghton. As thero are only six (6) vacancies to be filled, I hereby also give notice that a. Poll will be taken as between tho said Candidates on WEDNESDAY, APEIL 26th, 1911. The Polling Booths will be situate at— The Office of the Council, King's Chambers, Wellington. The Kiosk, Worser Bay. Robertshaw's Store, Miramar. Polling Hours—9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dated this 19th day of April, 1911. i E, F,. BENNETT, Eoturnlns Officer.