AUCKLAND SHOPKEEPERS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1821, 6 August 1913, Page 5

AUCKLAND SHOPKEEPERS.

AND THE' HALF-HOLIDAY LAW.

1 lie small shopkeepers of Auckland are feeling the effects of tlio universal Saturday nalf-holitlay most severely and are sanonsly apprehensive that the law which a l ii' s ? ,yp mmu nity to say by its vote at the ballot-box when a shop is to be closed and when opened will lead to tho ruin ol many, whilst it tends to improve the business of' the big .universal store. So serious is the' case of a' couplo of hundred . shopkeeper? (mostly out of Queen Street) in Auckland, that a deputaE on ' consisting of Messrs. George Tutt, H. E. Coates, and C. H. Dalton, waited upon the Prime Minister yesterday to explain to liiin the plight of a large number of people consequent upon the carrying of the poll for a universal Saturday half-holiday. The visitors related specific instances of the heavy losses which bad been suffered by individuals, not only bv thosa shbpkeepers who had been forced to close, but by .those who wore exempt from closing, but who had suffered in consequence of the streets being practically deserted on the Saturday afternoon and evening. Mr. H. E. Coates lias three pork butcher 6hops in Symoris Street and Karangahape 1 Road, and, because he purveyed perishablo goods, ho was exempt from closing, yet he bad lost .£SOO in two months, calculating his loss on his former average receipts. Mr. Dalton, a clothier and mercer, ■ said that his receipts had suffered to the extent of 50 per oent., and if relief of some kind were not afforded from this drastic law many would bo ruined. The'deputation pointed out that out of a roll of (5,000 electors only 16,000 voted on .the half-holiday issue—10,000 for and 0000 against (in round figures), so that at least 116 shops had-been closed up on Saturday afternoon and evening by tb» votes of less than a fourth of tho voters, and 85 shopkeepers (who were exempt from; closing by tho nature of their business) had suffered seriously. Already one petition, containing 10,000' signatures, protesting, against the present "position, had been sent down from' Auckland, and yesterday , a supplementary petition containing 5000 signatures came to hand.; Mr. Massey lent a sympathetic ear to. the deputation, and has arranged for them to give evidence before a Parliamentary Committee on Friday next.