RIVAL TOWNSHIPS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 182, 22 October 1927, Page 13

RIVAL TOWNSHIPS

EKETAHUNA IS WORRIED PAHIATUA WINS TRADE (THE SUN'S Parliamentary ReporterJ WELLINGTON, Friday. Like two small boys eyeing each other with scarcely-vei led hostility, while a shy little girl shuffles her feet nearby, the neighbouriny towns of Eketahuna and Pahiatua are not “playing speaks.” The shy little girl is named Trade, and the trouble' is all because she favours Pahiatua. Eketahuna has its weekly halfholiday on Saturdays, and Paliiatua’s shops close on Wednesdays, with the result that, while the inhabitants of Eketahuna are disporting themselves In various ways on Saturday afternoons, the shops are open in Pahiatua, and the tradespeople are doing a thriving business. Unless Eketahuna can have its half-holiday on Wednesdays, too, its shopkeepers say they will be ruined. It was with these facts in view that Mr. G R. Sykes, member for Masterton, moved an amendment to the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill when the Hquse of Representatives was considering the measure in the Committee stage this morning. The clause he proposed provided that, on a requisition signed by not less than three-fiftlis of the total number of electors of a borough, the local authority should take a special poll to determine the statutory closing day. The Prime Minister, the Right Hon. J. G. Coates, told the House that all possible representations had been made to him on behalf of Eketahuna. It was in a very difficult position, and many of the tradespeople were threatened with rLiin. Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, said that a general provision such as this should not be introduced into national legislation. If it were necessary for Eketahuna, it should bo put in a separate Act. The Right. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward (Invercargill) advocated a universal Saturday half-holiday, and members were proceeding to discuss the general question of statutory closing days when they were recalled by the chairman of committees, Mr. F. F. Hockly. to the point at issue. It was pointed out that the clause would have a serious effect if embodied in the Bill, in that it might be possible to secure the signatures of thi'ee-fifths of the electors to a requisition in small towns, but would be impossible in the cities. *•[ have raised a hornet’s nest about my head,”’ said Mr. Sykes, ruefully, intimating that he would withdraw his amendment, realising that this Bill was not the place for the embodiment of such a provision. He asked the Prime Minister to facilitate its insertion in some other measure, such as a “washing-up” bill.