PAEROA'S HALF-HOLIDAY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5217, 16 December 1927, Page 2

PAEROA'S HALF-HOLIDAY.

BOROUGH COUNCIL DISCUSSION.

LEAD FROM THE. PEOPLE SOUGHT.

At last night’s meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council a letter was received from the Department of Labour, Wellington, drawing attention to section 15 of the Shops and offices Act, 1921-22, by which the council was called upon to .hold a special meeting in January, 1928, for the purpose of deciding what working-day in the week should be the statutory half-holiday for shops in the borough, and to notify tile Minister of Labour of the day so decided upon.

The Mayor (Mr W. Marshall) said that the matter would be advertised in the usual way and decided at the January meeting. Cr. E. A. Porritt expressed the hope that the shopkeepers would give the council a lead in arriving at a decision. During the last few years little interest had been taken, and the council, had been left to form its own conclusions. Cr. P. E. Brenan said there appeared to be a strong feeling that a change in the .half-holiday was desirable.

Cr. F. E. Flatt pointed out that one section desired Wednesday, and the other to retain Saturday. The trouble was that no cue appeared to be prepared to take a definite lead. He would like to see a requisition from the people placed before the council. The Mayor said that in view of the remarks made by Cr. Brenan it might be a fair proposition to suggest that the advocates of Saturday half-holi-day for some years be prepared to give way to those who desired some other day.

In the opinion of Cr. W- Turner local bodies sho'uld not be called upon to deal with the matter, and a universal half-holiday fixed by the Government.

Several members agreed with Cr Turner’s view.