WEEKLY HALF-DAY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 5, 21 January 1937, Page 7

WEEKLY HALF-DAY

Change Not in Hands of Borough Council DECISION BY POLL i Recent annouucements that the Upper Hutt and Pahiatua Borough Councils had, by motion, agreed to a change in the statutory half-holiday without any poll of the townspeople, was the subject of comment by the Hastings Town Clerk, Mr. Noel C. Harding, to a " Herald-Tribune ' ' reporter this morning. "No such action can be taken by the Hastings Borough Council," Mr. Harding pointed out. "A change can only be eifected by a poll of the residents." It will be recalled that, when the ugitation for the Saturday half-day was in progress in Hastings, a petition was circulated, asking ihat the Minister of Internal Affairs make a change in the statutes to enable a poll to be held to decide whether a change in the half-day was desired. This petition was forwarded to the Minister by the Hastings Borough Council, but so far no advice has been received, beyond an intioiation that the Minister' has the petition "under consideration." Referring to the fact that both the Upper Hutt and Pahiatua Borough Councils had decided to change the statutory half-holiday to Saturday, Mr. Harding said that there was apparently an idea in the minds of some people that the Haslings Borough Council could take similar action. Such, however, was not the case, and the change could only be brought about by a poll, "Previous to the last election of councillors, it was in the power of the Hastings Borough Council to fix the half-day," continued Mr. Harding, "but at that election a poll was held to decide which day should be the halfday. The decision was for Thursday, and no change in this is possible until a further poll is held." Mr. Harding quoted the statute to point out that, under the present legislation, it was not possible to hold a poll on the half-holiday question until the next general election of councillors. It was because of this provision that the petition at present before the Minister had been circulated. So far, however, no advice had been received from the Minister that he intended making any change. "If it will clear the position at all," coneluded Mr. Harding, "I would again emphasise that the Hastings Borough Council is not going to, nor has it the power to, make any change. Thursday will remain the statutory half-holiday until a poll changes it."