Dunedin Notes.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 2, 8 April 1893, Page 15

Dunedin Notes.

(prom our own .-correspondent.) One of the questions occupying the public mind at the present time is the early-closing movement. At the latter end of last year, as the result of much agitation, it was decided by the majority of shopkeepers to close on Saturday from one o’clock, with Friday as a late night. Many people have expressed the opinion that the wrong time of the year was chosen for bringing about such a change, it being very near the holiday season. Whether the movement would have been thoroughly successful if delayed until after the Hew Year is hard to determine. It was thought that by making Friday the late night, the usual business of Saturday would, by force of circumstances, be done on that (Friday) evening also. Most probably it would, but, unfortunate 1 y, the crowds that have been in the habit of crowding our streets On Saturday evenings still continue ; and there can be no doubt that the presence of so many people on our streets is a temptation to shopkeepers to keep open. As matters stand, we are having two late nights a week. People have got into the habit of walking our thoroughfares on Saturday evening, and as Wellington said —“ Habit ■is ten times nature.” The early-closing movement was brought about solely for the good of the shop assistants, and it is a deplorable fact that whereas formerly they had one late night per week, now some of them have two. Our streets are still paraded by “ sandwich men,” carrying the now familiar device — “ Shop before one o’clock on Saturdays.” One of our large grocery establishments, which has received special attention from these sentries, has made matters even with the Shop Assistants Union by employing “ sandwich men,” carrying the sign “ Freedom versus Coercion.” It is somewhat amusing to watch the two parties —shall we call them the Conservatives and Liberals ?—performing their duties in silence, but getting so much mixed in their parade that it is difficult to tell “ t’other from which.”

The Wesleyans lately closed their annual Conference in our city. A great stir was caused by the Conference lecture, delivered by the Rev. C. H. Garland, entitled “ The Bearingof Higher Criticism on the Inspiration of the Bible.” It seems as if we are going to have as keen a controversy over this question as that aroused by the now almost forgotten “Reign of Grace.” Already some of our local clergymen have dealt with the lecture from their pulpits, and it is probable many others will follow suit.