THURSDAY HALF HOLIDAY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2239, 11 August 1891, Page 2

THURSDAY HALF HOLIDAY.

„T 0 THE EDITOR. Sib, —Will you kindly allow me a little space in your valuable paper in regard to the Thursday half holiday. Undoubtedly it is a great blessing for those people whose occupation is very tiring by having to stand so long, especially the weaker sex, to have one day set aside for them to have a rest. But it sometimes happens that what is a blessing to one individual is not to another, and I, for one, was brought face to face with that last Thursday. I arrived home very early last Thursday morning, after a long and tedious ride. Having business to attend to that day, and being tired, as stated, I left it until the afternoon. I accordingly walked into town, thinking over my plans, thinking how nicely I had everything arranged, and not thinking anything about the Thursday half holiday. But when I arrived at the store in particular, and saw the general appearance of it, it came to my mind all at once : •'' Oh. Thursday afternoon : what a goose I am to come up here at this time of the day, which simply meant an absolute shut up." Now, Sir, to come to the point, X cannot help but characterise the present existing arrangement an abominable nuisance. Ido not mean by that that I would rob them of the half holiday. On the contrary, I would rather increase their joy, if it lay in my power. But, Sir, don't you think that if these good people were to put their heads together they might come to an arrangement whereby they could have a holiday now and again without putting general public to any inconvenience? For instance, suppose where there are a number of assistants employed and they took it in turns and had a whole days' holiday once a fortnight. I merely offer this as a suggestion. Would not a whole day's holiday once a fortnight be more beneficial to them than the few paltry hours they now get once a week! We will, soon have the summer months here, and if they had"a whole day to ; themselves they could start off oh their picnics as early in the morning as they choose, without fear of interruption, but from what I can gather the present arrangement does some of them very little good. I am fully alive to* the fact that they certainly need a holiday or a rest occasionally., as they are standing all day, or nearly so, and until late on Saturday evenings, and I am sure the general public.would not do any more shopping on Thursdays than they were compelled to. Would, not shop assistants have more time to themselves if they had two whole daya fc holiday in every month instead of four half-day's which they have at present, I think they would. Our Government is employed just now with MxUeeves' Shop Hours Bill, Undoubtedly it is quite time some such Bill was brought forward and made law, but I think it would be better if the Bill made it compulsory for sjiop assistants to get