The Half-Holiday Movement

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 8, 18 July 1891, Page 2

The Half-Holiday Movement

-♦ — ■■ — By Vigilance. The tradesmen of Feilding^ must look upon each other as something better understood than expressed, as their apparent fear of each other appears to prevent them joining together for the-pur-pose of closing their several business places for half a day each week (say Wednesday). I am aware that some of them are willing to close,* but they want all to co-operate. The objectors argue, I believe, that they will suffer a loss of traue if they shut up for the half day. I fail to see how they can incur any permanent loss. Their receipts would possibly be smaller for a half day than for a whole day, but the public must hare food and clothing, and if they can't get goods on the holiday, they will at some other time, perhaps not on the day immediately before or after, but stretched over a number of days. At holiday-time people like to enjoy themselves and always " make the money fly." a large percentage going into the pockets of busi-ness-men on the evening preceding the, holiday, and yet some of these latter object to giving a few extra holidays. Perhaps they don't like to see so much money spent in pleasure* and therefore haye no intention of aiding such squandering. The imagined inconvenience to settlers at a distance from town, could be easily overcome by posting notices at different places all over the district, and advertising, requesting shopoing fo be done before the hour of clooing,"or oa £'c preceding day. As most farmers and settlers pan take a holiday when they like, they would surely only be too willing to give their fellowcreatures in the town a few hours for recreation, considering the great number ot hours in each week some of them have to work. I do not think right minded people can honestly object to this arrangement, because everybody, master or man, likes a holiday, with the exception, perhaps, of a few spendthrifts who waste the enormous sum of a few pence per day to keep life in their miserable bodies. These do the talking, while the real customer defers his purchases without a word of complaint if arrangements for dosing were made, the members of the Fire Brigade and volunteers could turn out to practice and drill, and while amusing themselves and others, would be acquiring a very necessary proficiency in their work, as their services, especially the Fire Brigade, may be required at any moment, but at present they are comparatively useless, not being able to run the hose out straight, or perform- correctly other, work in connection with tlie engine. The

employees took the matter up sometime , ago but failed, and now,* I think the masters should try and see If they can't be more successful. Perhaps our energetio Mayor might interest himself in the mat* ter. If "the public" object to the shops being closed for a half day, I will,' at some future time, endeavour to shgw'thetti'ttow good-natured they are;- and, how w3Kng to assist any movement that >is intended to benefit suffering humanity. ,