SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 April 1921, Page 4

SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY.

MID-WEEK SUPPORTERS. MEETING AT ELTHAM. A public meeting under the auspices of the Eltham Thursday Half-Holiday Association was held in the Town. Hall, Eltham, last night for the purpose of hearing the views of speakers from Eltham, Hawera and Stratford on the halfholiday question from the mid-week point of view. There was an attendance of between SOQ and 609 people, and the speakers received a good hearing, although there were numerous interjections. Mr. H. C. Carman occupied thej chair. At the conclusion qf the meel/ ing Mr. W. H. Shipton moved the following resolution: “That this meeting of Eltham electors declares emphatically that the future progress and prosperity of Eltham is at stake in connection with the half-holiday question and is of the opinion that to close the retail businesses on Saturday in Eltham, with the possibility of either Stratford or Hawera, or both these towns, remaining open on that day, would be suicidal and fatal to the best interests of the borough.” This was seconded by Mr. H. F. Ham and carried. A fuller report of the meeting will be published in Monday’s News. We are asked to publish the following correspondence:

Eltham, April 22, 1921. L. O. Hooker, Esq., Secretary Taranaki Saturday Half-holiday Association, Hawera. Sir,. —In further reply to your letter of April 19, dated from Hawera, which contains the following motion carried by your association: “That a letter be sent to the chairman of the mid-week half-holiday associations in New Plymouth, Waitara, Inglewood, Stratford, Eltham and Hawera suggesting to them that the best means of guaranteeing that Saturday be carried in the neighboring towns is that they joinforces with this association and work for the provincial Saturday halfholiday which will guarantee the result and ensure a common closing day throughout the province.” I beg to advise that the combined mid-week halfholiday committees of Hawera, Stratford and Eltham have now had an opportunity of fully considering the) suggestion made by your committee, and have decided that the following reply should be sent to you: “That as our combined committees have been fighting for a half-holiday as against a Saturday half-holiday we cannot possibly agree to your request to join with you in advocating Saturday, which day we consider to be the most unsuitable day in the week for the retail shops to be closed. The resolution contained in your letter practically asks us to give up our opposition and join with you. Such a request can only be deemed absurd in view of the present position.” Finally, ouf committees cannot understand how it comes about that a body such as yours should have framed such a ridiculous proposition as put before us.—l am, etc.,

C. A. WILKINSON, Chairman Combined Mid-week Halfholiday Committee, Hawera, Stratford and Eltham.