CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5226, 13 January 1928, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

MEETING OF BUSINESS MEN.

SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY.

A meeting of inenibei’s of the Chamber of Commerce and business men of Paeroa was convened by the chamber last night. There was an attendance of about forty, and Mi- P. E. Williams, president of the chamber, occupied the chair.

In his opening remarks Mr Williams said that the meeting had been called for thei shopkeepers to discuss whether they wanted the Borough Council to decide on Saturday as the halfl-holiday or whether a change was desired. He was not in favour of a change. Both Hamilton and Auckland had Saturday half-holiday, and they would not change. They were quite satisfied that Saturday was the best day for the half-holiday. Te Arolia, he said, was a tourist resort, and had some wonderful attractions, and they could not compare Paeroa with it in the-same light. In deciding on the. half-holiday it was necessary to think of the assistants. Shop assistants were not standardised, and once they were taught t'he ways and methods of a business it was an advantage to retain them. He felt sure that they would prefer the Saturday half-holiday and be more contented if they got it. T.herej was a large majority of tlie assistants interested in some branch of sport or another, and he did not think they would get as good sport as at present if the day was altered. >

Speaking of Thames, Mr Williams said that somej four years ago a resolution was passed for Wednesday haltholiday, but only a ftifw observed it, with the result that the business of the town was disjointed. The experiment did not last long, and Saturday was soon reverted to and so far as 'he; knew would continue. .Out of 20 inquiries from settlers at Netherton there was only one> who suggested that Saturday should be the long night. He asked for a full discussion on the subject, and hoped that they wkiuld be unanimous in whatever day was decided upon.

Mr F. C. Blyth said he was strongly in favour of Saturday half-holiday, but if he thought he was doing a hardship to anybody by voting that way he would prefer to have the matter go to a poll. Whatever was done, they wanted to be unanimous. Therq was only a certain amount of business be done, and this could all be done before Saturday mid-day. Mr Finnic said that the bus’ness in Paeroa was evenly distributed during the week, and he did not see how business would be increased by keeping open on Saturday. Mr Blyth said it was impossible to compare, the present day with shopping some years ago. The large major! ly of settlors now had thqir own motor vehicles to come to town. Then, again, in the old times they used te keep open until 10 o’clock, and eyen later, but the Factories Act ind Awards put a stop tpi that, and now it was 8 o’clock.

Mr Waddingliam thought that things would: be better for the businessman with the Saturday open. He did not think the businessman should dictate what day he would close. It should be, left with, those who spent the money. Mr G. P. de Castro said that without doubt Saturday was. the best day for the h'liday. Sports bodies had been firmed, and if they' now kept open on Saturday it would spoil them. Saturday closing was responsible for the sports bodies being formed. He considered that the farmers were well catqred for. He thought they could hardly' compare Te Aroha with Paeroa—there were attractions in Te Aroha which Paeroa, did not have. Ai,v shopping that would be done on Saturday afternoon could be done as easily on any other day. He had seien both sides, and was. sure Saturday was, the best day for the holiday. Mr Masters said that the meeting

ree.'oed ab one-sided, and he would like to he;ar from those who thought that Saturday being open would be the best. So far as he knew there was no move or desire for a change. The chairman said that it was the wish of the Borough Council that if a change was desired this meeting should give a lead in the matter. Mr I. Amy, manager for Isaac Brown and Co., said that he had been in Paeroa for three years and coul l not remember any farmer asking for a change of the half-holiday. He was at Thames when the change took place there, and was sure they would stick to Saturday. Mr D. Leach said that it was a move in the right direction to hold the meeting. It was good to get the viqws of all the business people in the place. He had. made inquiries amongst the farmers and there was much less than half who, expressed the opinion that Saturday would best suit them for shopping. Hq did not think the chairman ■ had been quite fair in dealing with the question before the meeting had d’scussed it. The chairman, interrupting : I only opened up to le.t the people know my attitude. I. do not desire to influence the meeting, but what I do hope is that we will be unanimous.

Continuing, Mr Leach said that times had changed and the farmer and purchaser had got used to the half-holiday. The meeting, lie thought, would do good and stabilise the action of the business mein. Personally, he thought Saturday opening would be an advantage. He, had held the view that a. change would be good, but since the matter had been brought up he had decided that the desire was not so great as formerly. Regarding a poll, he, did not think it would do any good. An expression of opinion at a poll would not give any criterion of the business man’s idea..

Mr SHyfield, in speaking .of his own business, sa’d his experience; of Saturday opening in other towns was the, best. ' In a country town»pf the size of Paeroa, where there was a large number of workers, he thought it would be of advantage to open on Saturday, as it would .afford thqm the chance of doing business. Those with a more casual class of business would

benefit. Groceries were not bought in the same manner. He believed a change would be of advantage to Paeroa as it certainly gave the/workers a chance to shop. Mr Flatt said that from pbs«rva> tions he had made between Te Aroha and Paeroa he did not think a. change was desirable. There was a lot of to.urist trade in Te Aroha which Pae-. roa did not get. It was the opinion of some of the largest business men in Tq Aroha that an extra hand had to be kept specially because of Saturday’s rush. People left their shopping till the last, and: instead of doling it throughout the week waited until Saturday. Te Aroha was in a . different position from Paeroa, and his opinion was that It would not benefit Paeroa. Opening on Saturday would debar a large number of young men and women from taking part in sport and recreation. If the town was divided and not unanimous the holiday -would not be a success. He had heard that the butchers and grocers were against a change. He had formed the opinion that Saturday closing was the best for Paeroa. Mr D. McJVatters said he had had experience of both days, but could nat compare the qarly days, with the present. In his opinion they should 'have a vote on the matter and thus consider the shoppers. He liked the Saturday himself, but felt that they should consider the shopping community. He thought they should carry on this year, and next year take a vote on the matter. Mr Blyth moved the following resolution :— “That the statutory halt-holiday be observed as at present for the; ensuing year, and that three months prior to fixing the' statutory half-holiday next year the Chamber call a meeting with a view to requesting that a poll be take,n.” Mr Flatt, in seconding the resolution, considered that it was a good one. On being put tq the meeting the resolution was carried.