The Weekly Half-Holiday.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 7, 26 January 1915, Page 3

The Weekly Half-Holiday.

ITO THE EDITOB.] Sir,-That bardj annual, the ■election of the day for the weekly half •holiday, will once more receive 1 attention from the Pukekohe 1 Borough Council to-morrow (Wedneaday) evening, a section of the 'local traders having again promoted an agitation for the Saturday halfholiday to be abandoned in favour of Wednesday. Rival petitions are on foot and are to be submitted to the Council, but unless it can be

clearly and decisively demonstrated , that net only the majority of the shopkeepers but the majority of the people of the district desire the week-end holiday facilities restricted and Wednesday closing substituted the Borough Council should not interfere with the existing oHer of things. Although it must b e admitted that circumstances i . cities and country towns are not or, * par, it is nevertheless interesting to note that the Saturday closing in Auckland, brought into force two years ago, has not been attended with dwindling in trade and general public discomfiture as predicted by its opponents. The innovation at first undoubtedly produced some inconvenience to the shopping public and even loss to traders, but these matters seem to have adjusted themselves with the result that so far no movement has been made for any poll to be taken in April next for a return to the Wednesday half-holiday that was previously in force. Indeed following Auckland's example present indications are that very possibly the city of Wellington will forsake the Wednesday closing for the Saturday half-holiday.—l am, etc. t A A LOCAL TRADEK.

\ Enemy Aliens.

Sir,—l read with interest the leading article that appeared in your issue of the 19th inst. on the Alien Question. I herewith enclose for insertion a cutting written by R. Blatcbford, the well-known Socialist, whose views I quite endorse, and I am sure a great number of Pukekohe residents will agree with me when I say the time has fully arrived to place all Germans, whether naturalised or not, under strict surveillance. How one can . read of the diabolical atrocities committed by this nation and then be quite content to allow members of this nationality to mix freely with them in business, sport and pleasure is quite beyond my comprehension.—l am, etc., T. B. HURLEY. Pukekohe, January 23rd, 1915. The cutting referred to by Mr Barley is as follows: It mast never be forgotten that a German is always a German. Naturalisation papers do not make a man a Briton. The man who. was caught recently after attempting to blow op a British warship on the West Coast of Africa was a' German missionary. When it was pointed out to him that the blowing up of warships was incompatible with his profession, he replied that he was a German first and a missionary afterwards. There spoke the true German, the German prepared to do any

deed however murderous ao long as it satisfied his and his fellowAsotin toymen's bate of Britain. No naturalised or not, rich or poor, high or low, abould be allowed to retain full liberty of action in this country. Every German now at large in this country is an open or secret enemy of Britain.

The best way to deal with enemy inbjeets is to take aucb steps as will absolutely prevent them doing any barm, however little, to Britain. What those steps should be and bow they should be taken I leave the authorities to decide. But the moment for action ia now. To delay wooid be folly.