Early Closing in Adelaide

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3728, 5 February 1891, Page 2

Early Closing in Adelaide

The Early Closing Advocate, a weekly periodical published in Adelaide, in its issue of January 16 devotes several columns to a general review of the early closing movement in that oity, and the proceedings on January 10, when a demonstration was held to inaugurate the closing qf the shops at six o'clock. A procession was formed at half past seven, and marched through the city with bands and suitably inscribed banners, after whioh a gathering was held in the Rotunda, where congratulatory . speeohes were delivered by several prominent oitisena and members of i Parliament. On the Monday following ■ a banquet in honour of the movement was held in the Selborne Hotel, at which there was a large number of , influential citizens, when more speeches were made and an illummi ated ftddfeue, gold albert and i pendant presented by the members of the Association to their President, Mr W. B. Dorman. One speaker, in dealing with the toast of the evening, "Success to tlie Early Closing 1 Firms," "in the course of a lengthly speech said—"ln the drapery trade in the oity of Adelaide the whole of the assistants, numbering several thousands, and eight or rine-tenths of the masters favoured it, but because a miserable majority of half a dozen men would not consent to fall in with the movement, the whole thing was jeopardised, and it could not have left surprised if any firm had said it could not afford to close as long as others were open. Whether we would or not we must be ruled by some one, and when such a vast majority of the trade deoided on such a thing the Government of the country should give effect to it. They heard a great deal of talk about freedom, but any system that encouraged a man to amass riches at the expense of his fellows was not freedom. Better independent license were required than freedom, which was opposed to righteousness aqd justice. They must go on in the future to do what they could, and never stop until their fellow ibbb possessed the tiiey enjoyed, and their pnvin> 6 w- ' ~ at; the 6nd

greatest gratificatiou ... their feeling when the time came uu pay the final debt to nature— would be to feel that the world was better in some measure at least for their having existed." The proceedings throughout were marked with the greatest enthusiasm.