TIE HALF-HOLIDAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 February 1921, Page 4

TIE HALF-HOLIDAY.

POSITION IN STRATFORD. SATURDAY CLOSING NEXT WEEK. (From Our Own Correspondent;) Stratford, Last Night. The Mayor of Stratford (Mr. J. W, McMillan) received a telegram to-day from the Minister of Internal Affairs ( stating that the notice regarding the ■lif-hpliday in Stratford will appear in next week’s Gazette, and will take effect from March 1. This means that next Saturday will be the last occasion on which the shops will remain open for the whole day, and an adjustment in regard to the late night and the auctioneers’ sales will need to be made for next week, Stratford will be represented by the Mayor and other Saturday supporters at the conference to be hied in this town to-morrow night, and it is understood that delegates from all the principal towns in Taranaki will also be present. So far no definite action in regard to promoting a petition to the council asking that a poll be held on the question has been taken, and Stratford is not organised one way or the other. The view is held by many that as Strtaford is solidly in favor of Saturday now that the matter is definitely decided, a poll is unnecessary, but on the other hand the Mayor is anxious that the electors should have an opportunity of confirming the council’s decision. ELTHAM’S ATTITUDE. TWO PARTIES WORKING BRISKLY. (From Our Stratford Correspondent.) Eltham, Last Night. Eltham is taking the half-holiday question very seriously indeed. The town is divided into two strong sections—one side working for Thursday and the other for Saturday. Both parties are well organised, and express confidence that they will win at rhe poll in April next, but an analysis of the position seems to indicate that Saturday closing will be carried by a substantial majority. The retailers are divided on the matter, and although a majority favor retaining the Thursday halfnoliday, the minority is solid, and includes some of the biggest retainers in the town. The chief argument of the Thursday supporters is that the Saturday half-holiday will not bring them any more business. <

The Saturday Half-Holiday Association has secured nearly 150 names to its petition asking that a poll be held on the question, and the petition tfas presented to the town clerk to-day, to be in time for the next meeting of the Borough Council on Friday. The district electors list contains 977 names, so the petition has many more-signatures tlwh the number required by the statute Tn order to ascertain the feelings of the residents on the question, the Saturday Association has canva -sp:l different portions of the tbwn. and the canvassers stated that generally they have found a two to one majority in favor of the change. One street which was canvassed showed fl2 for Saturday and 20 for Thursday, while another street showed 21 for Thursday and 16 for Saturday. The fear that some other towns in the province may .fail ta carry Saturday at the polls in. of course, n factor in the matter, but information received from these places indicates that Saturday is practically a certainty, arid that Eltham is the onlv doubtful tntfn in the province. Doubtless the conference at Stratford on Thursday night will clear the air in this respect, so that each borough ran face the position wilh a full knowledge of what its neighbor ie doing.