THE HALF HOLIDAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 13 September 1907, Page 2

THE HALF HOLIDAY.

The following letter on the subject of tho half-holiday trouble has been received by Sir J. Wliitaker, secretary of the New Plymouth Employers' Association from llr 11. Okoy, Jl.H.R.:—"Further replying to your letter of the Oth inst., re the Factories Act Amendment, I have discussed tliujmatter to-day with the lion. Mr Millar, Minister for Labor. He is willing to increase the number of population to 7500 in place of 5000 as proposed in the Bill. This will allow the local authority to decide the day of the week upon which tho holiday will be held, and factories with shops attached will come under this regulation. The Minister is very firm about letting the employees in factories where tficre a,re no shops have the holiday on anv other day but Saturday. I will use my best endeavors in the direction of al- | lowing all employees in the above-men-tioned [boroughs to have their holiday on the day appointed by the local authority." Word has since been received by Mr ! Whitakor that the. Labor Bills Committee Jiave reported on the Bill without calling evidence and the executive of the Employers' Association believe that the Bill ivill become law unless a vigorous protest is made and made immediately iby the people affected. The oxecutive advise that the latter should lose no time in getting in touch with (lie Premier and the members of the Local Bills Committee, demanding an alteration in the 1 provisions so as to exempt iiojwns fik-e New Plymouth from the operation of the Act. Seeing that the Minister lias made the promise he has to Mr Olrey, we are loth to believe that he would allow the Bill to go4hrough without making the alteration in question—an alteration which is of vital importance to a large number of business men in New Plymouth, who -would, under the 5000 population limit, have to close a part of their shops on the Thursday, and the other part on Saturday. A cofrnpulsory universal half-holiday wonia be infinitely preferable to tho arrangement proposed.

We understand Mr Whiter will call to-day on the business men affected to sign a petition protesting against the objectionable clause referred to.