NOT TO CLOSE.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20254, 24 July 1937, Page 6

NOT TO CLOSE.

DRAPERY ESTABLISHMENTS. ARRANGEMENTS FOR WEDNESDAY. STAFFS TO HAVE TIME OFF. The difficulties which would be experienced by soft goods shops in Hamilton should the half-holiday for the Springboks match In Hamilton next Wednesday be made general were outlined by the manager of a well-known drapery establishment, when Interviewed by a Waikato Times reporter this morning. It had been decided by such shops not to close. It was maintained that should a half-holiday be arranged the staff would have to be paid regular wages. . Owing to the number of people who would be visiting Hamilton that day from all over the country it would be necessary for tearooms to remain open in order to cater for the crowd, continued the manager. Besides, a large proportion of the visitors might not be able to gain admittance to the game, while many football enthusiasts would bring their wives with them if the shops remained open. In order that the staff should not be deprived of the chance of witnessing the game, as many as possible would be given time off while others had been permitted to go to Auckland to see to-day’s match instead of that next Wednesday. The manager of another establishment considered that the original agreement, which involved shops closing during the period in which the match would be played, was ridiculous. Had satisfactory terms been arranged in the first place and shopkeepers been unanimous in their decision to close, a half-holiday could have been arranged.