A STEP IN THE EIGHT DIRECTION.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 393, 12 July 1866, Page 3

A STEP IN THE EIGHT DIRECTION.

(From the Hawke’s Bay Times, sth July.)

Not a few u of of the Colonial papers will receive gratification from the announcement we find made in the ‘New Zealand Advertiser 5 of the intention of the Government to discountenance a practice that has hitherto been but too prevalent: we allude to the encroachment made on the Sabbath Day by the arrival and departure of the various steam-ships, and the consequent labor imposed upon a very large section of the community. On several occasions we have, in our columns, drawn attention to the abuse referred to, and still more often have been tempted so to do, but felt that it was but of little avail, although the evil was of a crying nature, and felt by very many of our immediate neighbors, whether merchants, their clerks, or officials of the Government. It is far from our intention to assert that no necessity whatever can arise for Sabbath labor. We are willing to admit that circumstances may occur that will render it necessary to permit the departure or attend ■on the arrival of a steam-boat on that day; hut, as a rule, it can certainly be dispensed with, as it seems is the case “ at all the ports in England, 55 and “ where the commercial world does not suffer from the arrangement.” We expect that the rule, which it seems at present applies only to the port of Wellington, will speedily be brought to bear at all the ports of the Colony, and we are sure that the parties who are most interested, being those Tj’ho suffer most from the present state of things, will be among those who will most rejoice at a change that will ensure to them one day of rest in the week from the harrassing cares and turmoil of business.

Should it prove otherwise, and transpire that the port of Wellington alone of all the ports of the Colony is to be freed from the toil of Sunday labor now generally felt, and things to remain as they are at the other ports, it will become a duty of all who suffer from the evil to join in memorialising the Government on the matter, and we feel confident that their reasonable wishes in this respect will be regarded. We shall say no more on the subject at present, as we think it probable that the change is intended to be made throughout the Colony; but if this should not prove to he so, we shall certainly take it up again at a convenient opportunity.