STRATFORD NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 287, 3 April 1913, Page 3

STRATFORD NEWS.

From Our Resident Reporter. '.'ffiet: \ t .xt l,,;hi & .MiMTanlilo Agency Co. Telephone 113. SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY TURNED DOWS BY TRADESPEOPLE

LV t ween forty iiml fifty retail tradespeople attended the meeting called by the Stratford Tradesmen's Association to discuss the half-holiday question and to organise against the Saturday haltno] i day movement. Air. 11. Musters, the president, occupied the chair, and set the ball rolling, A petition, said the president, had been lodged with the Borough Council, -risking for a poll on the half-holiday question, so as to -nable the borough elector* to decide on what day this should be observed. Only ten per cent ot the electors needed to sign this petition, and when presented the Borough Council would be bound to authorise the poll to take place, and the holiday would then be fixed for the ensuing year. This petition evidently emanated from the Taranaki Rugby Union. At the present time in New' Plymouth and it seemed unfortunate * that this should he the cause of the agitation - the football clubs were not able to win any cups, because some of their members played in the Thursday teams and some in the Saturday teams. So a few people who were interested if, this sport started this agitation for the benefit of [ these footballers. A large number of people had signed this petition for a poll, under the impression that the matter was being settled for the whole of ■the province, whereas each town had to act for itself. The biggest objection, in his mind, was that the people who were most affected had no say in the matter These were the farmers. He had spoken to many farmers on the matter, and tliev I all preferred Thursday to Saturday "Those are the people that we depend upon,", said Mr. Masters, "for we have no industries apart from the farmin" industry." He stressed the need for ; concentration on Thursday against Saturday, and showed that 100"votes cast for Saturday would defeat 90 cast for eacli of the other days of the week. This showed organisation would he necessary. Several Eltham business men had informed him that the agitation against the Saturday scheme was to prevail in Eltliam. ■ "If they don't close in Eltham, and we do, we'll he in the soup," the speaker continued, for Eltham and Kaponga would be open on Saturday, and so would Toko, Midhirst, Tariki, Ngaere and Cardiff, scoring trade at our expense. The carrying of the Saturday closing would make things very awkward for tailors and others who were working under the Factories Act. Their holiday for employees would be Thursday, and the employees would have to work on Saturday. When would the employer be able to get off? Again, to change to Saturday would be to get away from the late Mr. Seddon's idea of benefitting employees by making a break in the middle of the week's work. Nelson, Napier and Raglan had been gird to change back from Saturday to the mid-week holiday, Waverley's experience was against Saturday, and the small traders in Sydney and Melbourne preferred the mid-week holiday. Re asked. "Are we prepared to experiment in this tiling, seeing that other towns have found the Saturday halfholiday is not a success? Are we prepared to take the risk of Eltham and these other places remaining open while we close? This agitation, instead of coming from the purchasing public, came from people who seemed to consider sport the alpha and omega of their existence. He concluded by moving "That

uus representative meeting 01 tne Stratford business men is firmly of opinion that the proposal to hold the weekly half-holiday on Saturdays would be detrimental to the general interest and prosperity of the town, especially in view of the fact that the adjoining town of Eltham might be open on that day, and also that towns such aa Midhirst, Toko, Xgaere, Cardiff and Kaponga cannot even taken a poll on the question. Closing on Saturdays would also seriously inconvenience the* farming community, upon whose support the town so largely depends." This was seconded by Mr. R. D. Lewers. Mr. R. H. White considered the idea of a Saturday half-holiday in a town like Stratford was ridiculous, and would do tremendous injury to our business. He referred to the movement initiated in Wanganui about five years ago for the Saturday half-holiday, which was defeated bv the organisation of the tradespeople who had had to work and pay out. He advocated setting up a strong committee to organise the opposition. Two-thirds of Stratford's business came from the farmers, who now had their regular day for business in town. Disturb that habit, and they would become irregular in their visits, leaving the field open for travellers from city firms to get in and snap up the orders.

Mr. C. D. Sole asked the meeting to remember those men affected by Arbitration Court awards. These men were tied down to the Saturday half-holiday now, and could only see Thursday sports by losing half a day. They and their families were entitled to some consideration. A universal Saturday half-holi-day would be a tine thing. Why not dopulationisc the Prime Minister on the matter?

, Mr. R. H. Robinson made the point that many people who resided in Stratford obtained their living outside it, returning home only at the week-end. These men were not likely to come in on Friday, the late night, and stay ovar Sunday, nor would they care to go home again on the Saturday. "We must first consider the people who support ihe town. Without the farmer we might as well close up and get out. Theße men arc so used to coming in on Saturday to do their business, to see and be seen, combining business and pleasure. It is their holiday. It is going a bit too far for any sports committee or . club to dictate to tradespeople as to when they should open or close, just to suit their whims and fancies. It is beyond conscience that sports should dictate against the best interests of the Dominion."

The motion was carried without dissent. The following committee was set up: Messrs. R. Masters, R. H. White, R. B. Anderson, TT. J. Hopkins, R. H. Robinson, C. D. Sole and J. Masters. Arrangements were made to finance the committee by means of a levy on shopkeepers. Mr. J. Masters took up Mr. Sole's cue, a«d advocated a. deputation from the Association to the Prime Minister to point out the ridiculous nature of the half-holiday clause in the Shops and Offices Act, and its inconvenient working in districts like this.—The matter was referred to the committee already set up. TRADESMEN'S ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING. Following upon the half-holiday discussion, on Tuesday, the annual meeting of the Tradesmen's Association was largely attended. Mr. R. Masters, president, was in the chair. The executive reported that the

year's working had been fairly satisfaej tory, but certain matters needed mcin- ] bers' immediate attention. In the first place, as the town grew, there were coming into it business men who did not recognise the Association, and refused to abide by the decisions of the executive when these ran counter to their own personal views. The executive, continued the report, had endeavored at all times to do what was in the, best interests of Stratford in general and the tradesmen in particular. However, the Association was a body without any legal authority, and could' hold together only by the mutual consent of its members. The matter was open for members to-night whether the conditions were such that the Association should conf tinue its existence. Should the meeting decide in the negative, conditions would revert to the old unsatisfactory method of ••everyone for himself," in the matter of holidays', at any rate. This would be unsatisfactory to the people as a whole. The balance-sheet showed a revenue of ,ti 8s from members' subscriptions, which, together with, a balance of lis brought forward from the previous year, had been expended, with the exception of 2s 2d in hand. But there were liabilities outstanding. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, the president said the position had been "put pretty straight" to the members, who now had the chance of wiping the Association out or of putting out the men who were supposed to be incapable of running it. Mr. B. 11. White seconded, and the adoption followed without further discussion. •Officers were elected: President, Mr. J. Masters; vice-presidents, Messrs. G. W. Mills and W. Mac Donald; secretary, Mr. 11. B. Anderson (re-elected); executive, Messrs. T. Mercer, G. Liddington, F. Mullen, R. H. White, H. J. Hopkins, and T. D. Colson. The annual subscription was raised from 2s to 2s 6d.