MATAMATA'S HALF-HOLIDAY.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 67, 31 January 1918, Page 3

MATAMATA'S HALF-HOLIDAY.

Discussed at Town Board Meeting. % A meeting called by the Matamata Town Board to hear discussion before arriving at a decision on the half-holiday question was held in the Town Board office- on Wednesday evening. The Town Board commissioners •Absent were Messrs J. Price >jehairman), E. C. Banks, J. F. Vosper, W. A. Gordon and J. Pohlen. When proceedings opened eleven shopkeepers or their representatives were in attendance. A petition was before the board containing the signatures of the Farmers' Auctioneering Co., E. Jones, D. McL. Wallace, Ltd., M. Cummings, Wallace & Co., W. Gale, Albert Mateer, E. M. Gray, H. Buckley and H. A. asking that Saturday be the half-holiday. The chairman said he took it that it remained with the Thursday advocates to prove that Saturday was not the half-holiday required. Mr H. Allan-Smith questioned one signature on the petition, stating that the man hardly came within the scope of the Act. Continuing the speaker said he was in favor of remaining open on Saturday. He would defy

anyone to point out one town, barring the centres, which had progress when Saturday * half-holiday had been introduced. A voice: Pnkekohe. Mr Smith: One tin-pot place against such towns as Palmerston, Wanganui, New Plymouth, etc. Continuing he said that he had been asked by many farmers to remain open on Saturdays. He thought it was suicidal for Matamata to adopt Saturday when the towns like Hamilton remained open.

Mr B. C. Taylor said that those who remained open on Thursday through the past year could have been closed by the police. Mr J. Mclntyre was in favor of remaining open on Saturday. Mr Taylor said if he could see any more money coming to Matamata through remaining open on Saturday he would honestly vote •-for Thursday closing. He point-

ed out that the travellers who " the district were here

through the week but left for >home .on Saturday. Thus, to compete with the canvasser, it was best for the shops to remain open when he was here. Mr Clarke thought Saturday was the best day to keep open for the convenience of the farmer. Mr Gale queried why had the farmers not petitioned 'for the Matamata branch of the Farmers' Auctioneering company to be kept open if it was their most convenient day for shopping. Mr J. Draper said through two years the shopkeepers' of Matamata had observed Thursday halfholiday, but had then almost unanimously turned to Saturday. Since then the half-holiday had been a real pleasure. When his firm's business was closed on Thursday he had no at all, for he was frequently," knocked up " by people who wished to be obliged with goods. His experience was that this was not so with Saturday. Saturday halfholiday is a boon to those who are confined to shops through the week, and personally he would be genuinely sorry to revert to the Thursday half-holiday. Mr Mclntyre moved that the meeting be adjourned to allow the shopkeepers to meet for a few minutes. Mr Taylor objected, stating that the Saturdayites were prepared to hand in the names of those present and absent, and decide on the majority. , It was ultimately decided to take names for and against. ' This provided a majority for Saturday half-holiday. On the motion of the chairman ' and Mr E. C. Banks the board decided to recommend that Saturday be gazetted the halfholiday.