SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY.

Evening Star, Issue 2829, 13 March 1872, Page 2

SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY.

The public meeting at the Masonic Hall last evening, under the auspices of the Saturday Half-Holiday Association, was a decided success. Long before the hour at, which it was announced the proceedings would be commenced, the hall was crowded, the audience comprising a fair sprinkling of ladies Mr HJ, B. Cargill, M.P.C, presided; and on the platform wo noticed his Honor the Judge; the Revs. H. M. Stuart, A. Reid, T. Roseby, and Dr Copland; Messrs Reynolds, Bathgate, J. Hughes, Mercer, Neill, Barnes, Ewing, etc,, etc. The Chairman explained the object of the Association, which he was glad to say up to the present time had met with very great encouragement. The movement had been supported by the Press as well as by the public, and the approbation of the eting testified to the interest they took in the proceedings, and to the desire which they entertained to se i the movement crowned with success. He then read letters of apology for their absence from his Honor the Superintendent, the Rev. J, Williams (Baptist), the

Rev. J. Levy (Jewish rabbi), the Rev. John Gow (St. Andrew’s), and Mr, G. Bell, editor of the Even’ng Star , who wrote sympathising with and pr m'sing to support the Association. It was very gratifying that so ready a ; expense had been made to the Society’s appeal ; and he hid been told that the movement had already had a very marked effect on the business done on Saturday evening—so far, indeed, that many owners of shops who were at first inc'inod to stand aloof, were now prepared to give in their adhesion to the movement. He then called upon Mr Moody, the secretary, who read the report which traoed the Association’s origin, and related the steps that were taken to carry the object into effect. In order to re move the principal hindrance viz, payment of wages on Saturdays, the committee caused a canvass to be made of the larger employers of labor, with the following result:—Thirtynine were called on, employing a total number of 475 hands; out of this number 30 employers, with 437 hauls, heartily sympathised with the efforts of the Association, and promised to alter their pay-days to an earlier period of the week. Of the remaining nine the majority would, if the movement succeeded, follow suit; white only one firm entirely disapproved of the object of the AsLociation— the reason for that dissent not being given The Association was very much indebted to the ladies of Dunedin, who had given it their heartiest support, andjm many cases had canvassed for signatures ; to the clergymen of the various religions bodies, who, without a single exception, had given their support, and were enrolled as honorary members ; to thepre-Ment (Mr B. 8. Cargill) and vice-president (the Rev. D. M. Stuart), his Honor the Superintendent, his Worship the Mayor, and his Honor Mr Justice Chapman. To the working classes and their families, who had nobly seconded their efforts, the Association tendered their sincerest thanks. Already, nearly, if not quite, 5000 have agreed, in writing, not to purchase after 1 p.m. on Saturdays. All the Association wished to impress in the minds of those who signed those documents was to act strictly up to their written agreement. Mr Justice Chapman, in a speech full of anecdote and weighty facts, proposed the first resolution—“ That this meeting affirms the desirability of shortening the hours of labor in Dim-din in connection with the retail trades.” He pointed out that the bankers throughout the Colonies observed the Saturday half-holiday, and that the wholesale ironmongers now did the same. Why, then, should not this reform, which had been voluntarily adopted by two clashes of tradesmen be adopted by all others? What were the advantages ? Could anybody question for a moment the great advantage of liberating all the servants in the establishments in town at one o’clock on Saturday afternoons instead of keeping them until an indefinite period during the night. How they would spend their time was not a question for the meeting But it might be fairly assumed that the majority of them would spend the time in cultivating the intellect and understanding, and in improving their knowledge ; at all events, in getting a good lung-full of the fresh air. (Applause.) Some might, perhaps, go to the billiard room or tap-house, but who could guarantee that very one would take the best benefits from what was offered them ? '1 he community, as the guardian of public morals, of the public health, and of everything else that was good, was bound to offer the opportunity, leaving it to others to take the best benefits from that opportunity. Then as to the difficulties in the way. Things that might strike the meeting as difficulties were not impossibilities. If he were asked to : Jefine what a difficulty was—what an energetic man ought to consider a difficulty, he would simply say it was something to be overcome—a something that ought not to stop them in their path. If such a difficulty existed they should kick or brush it away to the best of their ability. Some of these difficulties were eferred to by the chairman; some were shadowed forth in the report. The employers of labor were in this difficulty, that if only a few of them were to adopt the halfholiday, they would be at a groat disadvantage if other shopkeepers did not also adopt it. It was therefore essential to the success of the movement that they should endeavor as far as possible, by persuasion, to carry out the object of the Association. The remedy lay in the hands of the public themselves The first thing to aim aim it was to get everybody to agree to make their purchases at an early period of the week-not in order to coerce employers, but with a view to supporting them in what he believed was in their hearts an earnest desire to carry out the movement, if they could be assured that a majority of the employing community would do the same. The remedy against keeping shops open late on Saturdays was simple. If nobody would deal with anybody, everybody would be glad to have a half-holiday.—(Applause.) The interest of the class who received weekly wages, and who could shop on no other day than Saturday, had been carefully considered by the committee. He referred to his on n experience when proprietor of a colonial newspaper forty years ago, of changing the pay day from Saturday to Monday, the effect being to prevent in a great measure the use of intoxicating spirits by the men, and the better expenditure by the women of their husbands’ earnings. If a system adopted for selfish motives had worked well in one case, why should it net be an advantage in others ? The change might not be effected in a (lay, a week, or even a month, for it took a little time before the community got used to these reforms. If the people refused to shop after 1 p m. on Saturdays, shopkeepers would find it to their interest to close ; if wages were paid on some other day than Saturday, there would be no object in keeping open the shops till a late hour on that day. The Asso lation asked the public to support them in carrying out their recommendariors, and hs tm-ted they would see the advantage of the movement sufficiently to induce them in their several p ivate spheres to do all in their power to promote the object of the Association. — (Loud applause.)

The Rev. D. M. Stuart ’seconded the resolution. which was carried by acclamation. His Worship the Mayor in proposing the second resolution *• That this meeting approves of the efforts made by the Saturday Half-Holiday Association, and pledges itself to support the Association by not shopping after 1 o’clock on Saturdays*'— observed that a phase of the qu stion had hardly received the consideration it deserved. How could the movement affect the working men, who, unlike the other classes, proposed 1o be benefitted, were [paid by the hour, so that if they got the ho iday they would receive so much per week less less than what they were in the habit of receiving, i.e., they

would be paying directly for the privilege which they ought to enjoy in common with others. His solution of the difficulty was this : that the employers shonl i say we will let yo i have the holiday, but will not decrease your wages.” As a small trader he would at once inaugurate the system—(cheers) whether or not, others did so ; but he had little doubu employers of labor would at once adopt his suggestion. The Hcv. A. Reid adopted the resolution, which was carried. Mr Bathgate, M.VT.R., moved and Mr W, H. Neale seconded, the following resolution, which was also carried :—“ That this meeting, considering the b?nefit to be derived tram this measure by employers in retail trades, caruesTy invites them to support the object of the Association by closing at one o’clock on Saturdays.” MrW. H. Re vnglds proposed, and Mr John Barnes seconded, the next resolution, which was also carried : -“That this meeting, with a view to remove all obstacles to the carrying out of this object, respectfully request all employers of laboar to pay their msn not later in the week than Thursday evening.” The Rev. Dr Copland moved, and tbs Rev. T. Hosebv, LL.B., seconded the last resolution, which was also carried : “That a committee be appointed to wait upon all owners of retail places of business on Wednesday, and repost the result to a meeting on Wednesday evening ; the committee to consist of the following gentlemen -Messrs Barron, Hogg, Jamieson, M‘Far lane, Neill, M'Landress, Hudson, Steinmetz, Leslie, Spraggon, with power to add to their number.”

On the motion of Mr Justice Chapman, a vote of thanks was awarded to the Chairman, and the proceedings terminated.