THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 1929. HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5370, 4 January 1929, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 1929. HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION.

In to-day’s issue notice is given by the Paeroa Borough Council that, in accordance with the provision's, of section 15 of “The Shops and Offices Act, 1922,” a special meeting of the coun-. c,il v/ill be held on Thursday, the 17th inst., for the purpose of fixing the statutory half-holiday for th® ensuing year. Prior to the meeting last year the Chamber of Commerce took the matter up and hejld a special meeting to discuss tiie question. There was an attendance of so,me 410 tradespeople, and the following resolution was unanimously carried; “That the Statutory half-holiday be observed as at present for the ensuing, year, and that three months prior to fixing the statutory half-holiday for next year the chamber call a meeting with a view to requesting that a poll be taken.” This resolution was proposed by Mr F. C. Blytih and secondted by tyfr F. E. Flatt. That, unfor.tnnat'Cily, was the last effort of the Chamber of Commerce, and it is regrettable that this body should have been allowed to. become inoperative. Who is to blame, we do not know, but one thing is. cer-, tain: before allowing, the chamber to cease, the officers should at least have given the members an opportunity of saying whether or not it should go by the board. Failing this, we hold that they have not done their duty or carried out the trust which their office devolved upon them. Some such body whereby business men of the town may meet together, and discuss matters that affect the business of the town is required, and it is to be sincerely hoped that a meeting will be called and a chamber on the lines of the now dormant body, or a business men’s association of some kind, will be formed to watch over, the business interests of. the town. A large number of the. business houses are strong-, ly in favour of a c.hange being made to Wednesday as the half-holiday and Saturday as tihe long, day, and a petition to that effect, we understand, is to be presented to the Borough Council- If a change is desired, the proper course would be f.or a meeting of the business men to be held, so that the matter could be thoroughly discussed and the council then advised of the result of their deliberations.