THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5376, 18 January 1929, Page 2

THE HALF-HOLIDAY.

COUNCIL MEETING ADJOURNED.

A DISAPPOINTING NIGHT.

The special meeting of the Paeroa Borough. Council to consider, the halfholiday question whs, held last night.

The petition (as reported in our last issue) praying for Wednesday half-holiday and Saturday the long day, was read, as also vvas the' one for, Saturday closing. The former was signed by 39 persons and) the latter by 101, but most of the latter signatories were shop assistants or residents.

Cr. Turner: There is one thing I’d like to know. What weight of busi, ness does each of them carry ’ The Mayor said that fr.om a close analysis he had found that the business interest was about even on the petitions. Cr. Edwards said that as the councillor with the responsibility of advocating Saturday as the half-holiday, he had looked at the 'matter from all points of. view. There was one point only that really materially affected the position, and) that was what was Thames 'going to do. If he thought that they were opening on Saturday be would hot hesitate a minute. He ■had ma.'.o careful inquiry and had found that some of tffie bigger businesses favoured Saturday being open, but the smaller ones were evenly divided. He had been informed that the action of the Thames people was going to be guided by the action of Paeroa. After considering it from all points he was prepared to- vote for the' Saturday half-holiday, and would move to that effect. In doing so he was sure that the people were spending right up to their full capacity, and ,what they lest to the Te Aroha. business men was Infinitesimal. At the most it would be only a few catch lines. He was satisfied that people did their shopping when it was most suitable to themselves. In seconding, Cr. Silcock said 1 he agreed with what Cr. Efl wards had said. With the Saturday open for the shops and all the offices and factories closed it was not universal. Ip looking at it from the sporting point of view it was not universal, and consequently the representatives chosen to take part in the various sports; were not as representative of the town as they should be. If it was a question that Paeroa was going to suffer, then it would be quite a different thing, but he was sjure that Paeroa would! not suffer, even if Thames opened on Saturday. The farmer could get off on any old day to attend sales or do his shopping. Cr.- Brdnan said that as the councillor responsible for the Saturday long day movement he thought the petition fairly set out his; views on the subject. He was a strong believer in a universal Saturday holiday, but under the conditions which now existed he favoured Saturday being open. He regretted that two of the councillors were not present. It was an important matter, and they should have been pr.es.ent. He thought it would be a sporting action to give the change asked for. In view of the absence of two councillors Cr. Brenan moved as an amendment that the council adjourn for one week.

Cr. Silcock agreed that it was an important matter, and that the councillors should have been present to deal with the question. The -Mayor, to Cr. Silcock: “You should not say that they should be here. As gentlemen' we must take their, word that their absence was unavoidable.”

Continuing, the Mayor said .that in any case there would -not be any change until after March 1, and! he believed that way the council decided there wpiuld be a petition for a poll. There seemed a good deal of. feejing, and he suggested that perhaps it would be better to have a poll.

The proposal was withdrawn and the amendment, that the meeting adjourn until next Thursday to allow Crs. Flatt and- Porritt to attend, was carried.

Cr. Hare said he regretted that in all probability he would be away fr.orn Paeroa that day.