SHOP CLOSING HOURS

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1940, Page 9

SHOP CLOSING HOURS

HAWERA DISCUSSION The opinion that if late shopping nights were eliminated and shops were closed all day on Saturdays 50 per cent. of Hawera business would go to country storekeepers was expressed to a meeting of the Hawera Chamber of Commerce on Monday night. when consideration was given to suggested amendments to the Shops and Offices Act. A circular in which .it was suggested that the proposal might be aimed at closing shops on Saturday mornings. and eventually doing away with late shopping night and making Saturday a compulsory half-holiday, was received from Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P. "What difference would it make?" asked Mr. E. R. Berryman. "It would not make a great difference to us, but it would make a lot of difference to the men working on farms,' replied Mr. W. V. Patterson. "It would be holding out to them an inducement to leave the farms and come to town to work. . Mr. Berryman: Would it make any clitference from a business point of view? Mr. A. S. Dalton: If you closed on Saturdays and eliminated the late night, 50 per cent. of the Hawera business would go to the small country storekeeper. . . "There is something more in this than mere profits," said the chairman. Mr. E. K. Cameron, who added that. the business community had a service to render to the public. There was also the difficulty of the retailer who handled perish'able goods. . , "If there is £10.000 to be spent it will be spent," said Mr. Berryman. "Then why bother about dressing your windows?" retorted Mr. Cameron, who referred to the amount of catch trade that was done as a result of people walking th rough the town on Friday nights and Saturday mornings inspecting the windows. "Late night and Saturday mornmg trading is a convenience to the man who works a 40-hour week and a convenience to parents who wish to do shopping with their children after school hours," declared Mr. E. Dixon. At the suggestion of Mr. Dalton, seconded by Mr. Patterson, it was decided to thank Mr. Wilkinson for his circular and confer with the Hawera Retailers Association to consider appropriate action, Mr. Patterson being appointed to place the matter before tbe association.