THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1714, 3 April 1913, Page 5

THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

;; $ ■ PATE 'OP PETITION DOUBTPUL. Nothing definite will bo done towards the decision of tho half-lioli<lay question until after the mooting of tho council toiiight. There tho law of tho petition lodged asking for a poll to bo taken ou tho proposal to: obsrrru. tho half-holiday on Saturday, iiistead of Wednesday will bo decided. Tho shopkeepers opposing tho petition have' received the legal opinion from Mr. T. P. Martin on tho question submitted by them as to whether tho town clerk could legally tako any account of tho list , of 950 additional to the petition put in alter tho main list was presented. '• Mr. Martin: holds that if tho extra list was presented before midnight on Saturday 'it can bo admitted as part of tho petition. In actual fact it was handed in about 10 p.m. on Saturday. • The position, has been somewhat complicated by the presentation to the council of an opinion by the acting-solicitor (Mr. J. O'Shoa); which, it is. understood,., does not agree on all points with that given by ,Mr. Martin. Tho council will, have to decide whose advice shall bo followed,-, and what shall be done. In the meantime it is still doubtful whether the 950 extra signatures will, bo'allowed. If. they are not allowed the petition, it is thought, will probably fail. The actual number of signatures is about 20 per cent, of tho total number of names on the roll, and only 10 per cent, is necessary, but it is very probablo that if Mr. Martin's rules are followed in the scrutiny, about half the names on tho petition will be disallowed. .■:..' :Tho retailers opposing tho petition are taking'no action meantime, and it will depend on the council's decision to-night what they will do. They propose to hold a meetihg to-morrow, at Which they will map out their' course of action. They may proceed by injunction, seeking to restrain tho town clerk from taking, tho poll, or they may decido not to rely oil the courts, but: to organise a oainpaign to fight'tho petitioners at the poll.