THE HALF HOLIDAY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 64, 31 January 1913, Page 2

THE HALF HOLIDAY.

Saturday Adhered To. Council's Unanimous Decision. Home f:mous French writer, Balzac we belic-ve it was, orce cynically remarked that "no oie is the biggest number." lo listen to the arguments, assertinns and statements that have been made during the pa : t fortnight in Pukekuhe on (hat very vexed question, "fhe weekly half-holiday, ' must convince anyone ibat all views are primarily governed by the personal interest. That it should be otherwise "-ouid be proof that Pukekohe ha J reached the Utopian stage. Furthermore, if a businessman does not look after himself -:0 one else will. Under such circumstances it is rot to be wondered at that there w: s diversion iri r | inion. and that what th-; Council wtre to do on Wednesday night was trie pievsiling topic of conversation in_ l.u?inesa circles. It was known that a determined effort was being made to secure a mid-w-ek holiday, and therefore when thf fateful night arrived it was not surprising that there was a large attendance ot the public deputations for Thursday, S;:turday'and employees, others interested and o;h:.rs who came to "see the fun."

'lhe Mayor briefly announced that the Coi.ncil were prepared to receive petitions and hear deputations, and then sat back and waited. For a ccuple of minutes nobody spoke—everybody waited for the other felluw. Then Mr Dell wanted to know if there was any petitio... The Mayor: We have received none. Mr Dell: What position are the Council going to take up? Are th;y going to consider the majority o( the shopkeepersV Cr Johnu rosu to a point of order, which was upheld by the Mayor Mr .). Patterson put in a petition signed by 15 shopkeepers, that Thursday be fi.xed as the weekly half-holiday. He asked the Inspector (Constable Willcecks) to read tne Act, so a? to show that th? change C'juid be ltisde without damaging anyone.

ihe Inspector explained the legal position u£ the Council and the working of t!i2 Act.

Mr Webster sai ! he repress;.ted those who hrii nt sit-ned the petition. He claimed that the Saturday was benefi:ial to the greater number of the people, ilia had shown him it was the best day for employer and employe?, and it was really a question for the employees. Saturday had been for so many years the established half-holiday in Puk?kohe thst it would be a ureat mistake to change. Farmers and the ' ,i :tside public recognised that Satnr day wan the day, and a change would alfect the of many tradesmen. If they had two days, both parties would be affected. He urged the Council to leave things as they are. He a>gu?d that i s the Thursday petition did not contain ihe siijnaturvs of a majority of the shopkeepers the greater numbjr were in favour of the existing state of affair?. lie referred to the difficulties that a mid-week holiday placed tradesmen who were u r der the Factories as well as the Shops Act.

Mr Dell supported Saturday as the half-day. ar.d hoped that the Council would take into con3id2rati:;n the effect of the Factories Act. Mr Patterson pointed out that the petitioners did not wish to injure any tnjpljyer or employee. Any employer opposed ta ihursciay could close on SaiU'day, hut if Saturday wa a , decided upon as the day. nobody could not keep open on Ihursday. He pleaded for consideration of the small shopkeepeis. to whom it was a hardship to be forced to close mi a Saturday when they did not want to. H: stated that under the FacAct they had only to give the Saturday half-holiday to boys unucr 18 and women.

Mr B. il. Andrew presented a petition signed by 52 employee?, urging the Council to make Saturday the half-holiday. He claimed that as thn Council had the power of aeterminiEg the day the employees had a right to put their views before them. The tmployets favoured Saturday as the best day. They were given a chance of seeing the best athletic t:ames and of get'irg away for fhe week end The Act was framed for the benefit of the employees. He challenged several of the names en the Thursday petition, claiming they were either net bona lids shopkeepers or were already excluded by the Act, and contended that the majority of employers favoured Saturday. A Thursday halfholiday would interfere with the farmers' sale of produce. He emphasised the fact that now the express was going to stop at Pukekohe on Sunday nights some employers wanted to prevent employees having their week-end at the seaside. "A piebald half - holiday" way 1,0 good to anyone. Besides, if, as the inspector pointed out, shops wh'ch close on Saturday, if Thursday was the day chosen, would lose their long nieht and that would be unfair to them.

Mr Ferkms co :sidered two halfholidays would be a great mistake, lie took -trong exception to several names on the petition. Saturday had worked admirably in the past, and no sound or good reasons had been advanced for a charg:\ .Mr W. Wright expressed the per-i-Aim I Oiim. ri that the majority of country residents favoured a mid week holiday. A deal had been ;aid about pleasure, ai d ii amounted b> this, "if business was gaing to interfere with pleasuregive tip business." hut all of them were not plaving at enopketpmg they wire there io maKe a living, alio he v.:i < ve-y strongly of the opinion they would make a betier liv.n.: if tbev were open all day inatiiJilav. Mr S. W. Mills argued that the produce meiYh:>nt.. would open Thursday and shut Saturday, so the farmers would nut ~ui'ur. One year they bad a whole day Katurady, and lu ki.' vv his returns had increased that. year. It seemed to tun that some of the other fellows did not j want to give them a chance to in crease their profits arid Jet them pay j tiuir rates.

ihe Mayor considered that the Council rrure to hold thiit those? who had not sipn.d the petition were against j', He pointed out tint the Council had rot to consider people'-- feelings, but to do thfir nuty. lie coulc! not regard all those who signed the petition as bona fide shopkeepers. He also ihnugfit the views of the employees should receive consideration.

Cr Johns moved, Thit Saturday be the half-holiday, ile pointed cut that for the past 12 years this had been the day, and he thought a change would be a mistake. As far as he could make out there wire 9 or 10 bona fi.e shopkeepers who wanted Thursday and there were 14 or 15 who had not signed. Then there were 52 emplojees who wanted Saturday. He believrd Saturday was the best day, a;,d thai in 12 months' tima it would be compulsory, lie noticed that Mr John Court, an Auckland Wednesday ehampioi., had been converted to Saturday since his visit to Sydney. Two half-holidays would be a mistake and Saturday halfholiday was better for the farmers. Cr Hamilton, in seconding the resolution, considered the prople who wanted the change were in the minority, and thev had to be guided by the majority. Cr Pollock said it «a3 ridiculous to have some shops open Thursday and some Saturday. If a man wanied to go to the blacksmith lie might come in and ftnd the shop he dealt with closed, ' here ought to be one holiday far banks, blacksmiths and shops.

The resnlu'ion was then put a r .<i carried unanimously. Sir Mills: Has this meeting been advertised 7 clear days? The Mayor: No. He proceeded to explain how it had happened and the reasons for holding thw meeting that night. Mr Milh: Taen your decision is not lesal? The Mayor: I did not say so. If we had fixed Thursday would you have raised this quibble? Mr Mill-!: No; the uther siJe (ojld do that.