THE HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 9000, 13 November 1907, Page 2

THE HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION.

Pre Press Association. New Plymouth, November 13. A meeting of the Now Plymouth Employers Association to-j’ight considered the now sub-clause inserted by the Minister for Labour in the Factories Act Amendment, providing that where the number of hands employe I in factories and shops combined is more than the number employed in the shop, the halfholiday under the Factories Act Mist-ho ’observed. It was pointed uut that the inclusion of this clause would prevent, the great majority of employers taking advantage of th o optional danse in the Act, and mean a’oompulßory Saturday half holiday for all hands employed in factories. It was decided to ask the kurjloyors Federation to endeavour to get this clause deleted, and solicit the co-operation of the members tor the district. Wellington, November 13. A sub committee of the Wellington Industrial Association, appointed to consider the question of holidays, reported to the Association to-night recommending that all the present holidays be deleted, except Good Friday and Easter Monday, ’and that the Government be asked to make statutory holidays in all the Arbitration Court awards from Christmas Eve till January 2nd, exemption to be .granted to trades dealing in perishable goods, and that the Employers Association, Chamber of Commerce, and Trades and Labour Council bo asked for expressions of • urn matter. After some opinion on --ulerritiou of discussion further oomA' 01£U1( A l 01

the question was deferred. Auckland, November 18. Jutervipwed on the subject _of a proposal emanating from Wellington for tho aggregation of holidays Mr Brooks, President of the Trades and Labour Council, said the matter would be threshed out at a meeting of that body to-night. Personally he regarded the proposal to bunch the holidays and suspend business at tho end of the year as impracticable. Ho also expressed tiie opinion that Workers did not want "the half holidays gazetted'. ‘ The President of the Eiiiployees Association said it* had confined itself to urging "Government as far as'possiblo to observe movable holidays on Mondays as the- employees felt urgent need of some better arrangement than that now existing.