THE FOOTBALL MATCH HOLIDAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 162, 30 June 1908, Page 2

THE FOOTBALL MATCH HOLIDAY.

No class ill spurt mows the public of. New Zealand as docs tin- national gillie of foolhall, and 110 portion ul' the Dominion is Dions jealous u f the prowess of its representatives Diiiii Taranaki. We iilriM.lv have had a precedent of the drawing power oi' a liritish team in New I'ly ulh, and tlieiv is not the slightest reason to doubt that the niateh on July 1.5 will attract a record attendance. It is, therefore, very unfortunate that there should already he evidences „f discord as niav result in inanv people beim; denied the' privilege of witnessing the jpiino. For instance, we understand from the chairman of the llu-div I'nion. that (he Milium Tradesmen'* 'Association, in view of the New Plymouth shop keepers resolving not to close till 2.31) p.m. on the afternoon of the match, have decided to refuse to observe a ho! day vn that day. Klthain, nluiii; with the other ]inivineial towns, had tacitly consented to ohservc practically a whole holidav for the ma tell, and had it not been for the action of the New Plymouth tradespeople, no doubt the holidav would have been loyally observed. 'As a matter of fact, the local tradespeople who resolved to close only between the hours of 2.30 and 5 p.m. were mainly inllucmed in their decision by a desire to meet the convenience of their country clients, who will make the football niateh the occasion of their weekly or monthly market day. It

was nut anticipated lliat much trade would fmm the incursion of hundreds of people I roil) the inland towns, lis tln'ir ti):iill object would be to pet to tile football ground tri rjmirr a favorable "stand." We are inclined to IhiiiK (lint but few people would transact their business after one o'clock in the afternoon. ;ii]() n«» inconvenience would lie occasioned to country people the shops closed at that hour, Were il otherwise, Imwi'v* r. we an- strongly of opinion thai nothing should be done that alienate the good feeling now existing between tin- incrcantile coimnnnitios of inland Taranuki, and New Plymouth. and particularly at the present time is it most desirable that no preventable circumstance should !>•' allowed to re-act to the detriment of New Plymouth's commercial iiiter«\sK Wlhat these interests are there should be no nece«<ity to expound here, but we would strongly advise that the local shopkeep- . ers re-consider their decision and close | from one o'clock. We recognise it | is ' <piite necessary that the shops should j-e-open in the evening for the convenience of customers who have made their purchases earlier iu the day. While we are convinced that the decision of some of our tradespeople to close only between 2.30 and 5 o'clock has been altogether misconstrued by some of the country merchants, wlio.se business is not likely to bo at all affected thereby, the fpiestion is not one of importance suDicicnt to warrant inter-town animosity, ami. if only to prove that they had no Mich intention as they have been miscredited with, we trust the local tradespeoph- will re-con-iiler the ijnestion of the holiday.