THE EARLY CLOSING AT CAMBRIDGE,

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1906, 23 September 1884, Page 2

THE EARLY CLOSING AT CAMBRIDGE,

TO THE EDITOB. Sir,— There appears to be too much made of this question by those concerned, and too great an .attempt to saddle the wiong horse with the trouble, i F,rom the speeches at th.c public meeting, I gathered that all the general storekeepers save one weienot only willing to close their 88fcabJif>hjnents at 6 p.m., but have done so for several months past with satisfactory results. If thjs be so, wbere's the trouble ? Who asks for a change? Judging from rumour, however, the storm is not raised by the one store that at present keetw open after 6 p.m., but that another storekeeper fancies he is losing trade by this one store being open after the ' others are all closed, and is threatening to j kick over the traces, thus putting a more serious face upon the subject. The gentleman referred to would, I think, bs the very lasfc man to attempt such a thing, for the reason. #>afc hjs/naine stands in the forefront of all the itnpraveHflgnp and progress in the town and district for years past ; renowned for Shrewdness and for helping forward the welfare of his fellow townsmen, taking great interest in both their social aw^fMffl 0 ." 8 event. Is it likely he would fii^Spißelf in tb_B way reported? Heasoiririys no, because' ty would, bo opposed

to all his previous career. If it be really true, then all I can say is he is under a temporary illusion, which will soon pass away. Let the committee appointed ti> carry out the object of continuing the present hour of closing direct their especial attention to Mm gentleman and shew him his error. If ordinary persuasion will not suffice to dispel the cloud now covering him, let me suggest that for one month, say, he sets a watch and ascertains how many of his customers enters the other store after tne rest suv, closed, and try and ascertain the amount of puichases made, then judge the profit therofroni he would lose; from this deduct what it would have cost him, in lighting and oth?r waya, had he kept his own store open the same time. I think this would satisfy him he had been very greatly mistaken, and we should hear no more about disturbing the pre>ent hours of closing. Theory is one thing, but facts are another, and very stubborn things, and after a slight investigation as I suggest, his well-known common sense will return and prevail. Storekeepers may be satified that the public will soon leave off shopping alter six if they find they have only one store to go to. It has been proved that customers will n>t leave the store they regularly deal at, because some other storekeeper chooses to oppose all the others by keeping open an hour or two later. No ! no !It will take something very different from that to seduce customers to forsake the places nf business where they in all other respects have been well treated. I will not reuuuk upon the disastrous moral and social effect a change to 8 o'clock would have upon both employers and employes, as theie cannot be two opinions about it. — I am, &c, Chvkity.