HOLIDAY COMMITTEE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1932, 14 November 1906, Page 3

HOLIDAY COMMITTEE.

The Holiday Committee mot yoiterday. Me-mhors present: Messrs J. Townloy (chairman), A, F. Konuedy, W. Follie, Ambridge, Cox, and Ford,

A loiter from Mr Bowloy was read, ask I ing tho Committee to deolaro Thursday next as a holiday from 12 o’clock, ao ns to a-sist tho Coiumut:o who woro o ganisiug tho floral fete. Tho writer pointed out that she sDorts had to bo started ot ono o’clock toocublo tho Fete Committee to gal through thoir programme, nod this I was the main reason of tho rt quest. Out of this letter a disoussion arose os to the previous deoision of tho Holiday Committee, Mr Petiio pointing out that the last holiday deolarod by tho Committee had not beon kopt by somo of the members. This was the peoplo’a day of the ahow, when a general holiday had bean granted at the request of the A. and P. Sooiety, but a number of members of the Half-holiday Sooiety had kopt their shops opOD, This was a discreditable thing to do, and made other membora pause before they closed their shops. The Committee should soe that holidays when declared are kept-. Mr Ambridge supported Mr Pottie’s remarks, adding that when the last holiday ! was fixed, ho had auuounoed publicly if otbtr people kept their shops open ho would do so ; and as two or three people hid opened on the seoond day of the show, ho felt it his duty to open his doo?, as his firm were not in a position to ignore business whenever it came along. He considered ai it stood at present, the Committee were not fully representative of the tradespeople. His Worship thß Mayor said the Committee had no local standing, aad were purely a voluntary body, He would bo sorry to soe iihe Committee disbanded, as he reoognised that should suoh occur holidays suoh as show day would have to be given up, and he regretted that the greed of one or two paople should nullify sue efforls of the Committee.

Mr Ford thought that a two hours’ limit should be allowed for shops to open on holidays, as it would allow country people to purohaio necessary articles of wear, and She holiday would then be better kept. Mr Kennedy disagreed with Mr Ford, After further disousaioo, the Mayor, Messrs Kennedy and Pctlio were appointed a committee to inttrviow tradespeople, aad endeavor to obtain a genoral agreement oa the matter. Toe request of the Floral Fete Com* mittee was granted,

Tee above was gloaned from one of the numbers present at tho meeting, as though She question dealt with by tie Committee was of great public interest, those in authority negleotsd so give the Times notioe of the moating, so that a representative of the journal should be present.