REPLY TO MR G. H. BENNETT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 123, 28 April 1925, Page 5

REPLY TO MR G. H. BENNETT.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I was very pleased to see at last that our opponents in answering correspondents in your valuable space, have signed their name —that in the person of our esteemed citizen, Mr G. 11. Bennett. In reply to his letter I desire to tell him that wo have not overlooked any pcesiblo weakness to this complete shopping week reform for Palmerston North, as we have written all over New Zealand for opinions on thi3 question, and all tho replies are unanimously in favour of Saturday halfholiday with tho late night Friday. Mr Bennett knows, and so does every shopkeopor in Palmerston North, .that Saturday night’s business, in comparison with the old days, has .gone. This month we have had experience of the late Friday night in two instances —all the shops open together —an unqualified success. Nobody, unless of necessity, shops on Wednesday; with the complete shopping week, Wednesday would he a good shopping day. Mr Bennett quotes the short experience we had of this reform two years ago; as a matter of fact it is four years ago, and then only for eight weeks and no lute night, due to Mr Bennett and his supporters cutting the late night out. In reference to Mr Bennett’s comments in that tlie Saturday half-holiday movement has its conception from' a lot of irresponsible shop assistants, let mo toll your readers that no assistant would have so little regard for tho success of his employer’s business, many of whom are in this movement. At any rate it is not within Mr Bennett’s province to make reference to their standing, for who can judge another, i have enclosed, for the editor’s inspection, a lisf of genuine storekeepers who are in favour of this reform. —1 am, etc., A. D. CAMPBELL, Chairman Saturday Half-Holiday Movement.