1.—9.

MR. BENDELL.]

35

into. We depend to a large extent on the Saturday business, and I can assume you that without that trade we should find it very difficult to meet our engagements. Again, there is a large number of shopkeepers in the suburbs who do what is known as a "tick" trade. That is to say, the working-classes take their supplies from these shops during the week, and pay for them on Saturday, and they take as much on the Saturday as they do during the whole of the rest of the week. Some of them said that they could not believe that Mr. Seddon would inflict such an injury on the small shopkeepers as to compel them to close on the Saturday afternoon. And, then, the closing at 6 o'clock on other days in the week would be a great injury to them. I think from these facts you will see that it is a most unwise thing to take the Saturday afternoon and evening away from these people. Another feature is this: that workers who are engaged in factories have no other time in which to do their shopping except Saturday afternoon and evening. If this Bill is carried into law as it stands at present, working-people will have no time in which they can do their shopping. Many persons of the artisan class come into my shop on the Saturday afternoon and evening, and they have told me that no other day would suit them as well for doing their shopping. Why, then, should we be asked to make a change and cause this great inconvenience to a large class of the community ? It seems to me that we are called upon to make this sacrifice in order that some more people may be able to go and play. It is not every married man who wants to go to a football or cricket match, and it seems to me that we have come to a state of things in this colony in which people think more of play and sports than of anything else. I have made it my business to inquire into these matters, and I find that in some places where the Saturday closing has been adopted it has been found to be a failure, and the people have been only too glad to go back to the Wednesday halfholiday. Those people who go to sports and that sort of thing, when they return from them will not go shopping, but will spend their money in another place ; and that will be intensified if shops are to be closed on the Saturday afternoon. Some people have said to me that Wednesday is no good as a half-holiday ; but I am positive that it leads to far more business being done on the Saturday. Taking all these facts into consideration, lam of opinion that there should not be a change from the Wednesday half-holiday to a Saturday half-holiday. It seems to me that there is too great a desire now to go and play. It reminds me of the fable of the little boy and the bird. The little boy wanted some one to play with him, so he said to the bird, " Come and play with me " ; but the bird said, " I cannot go and play with you, because I have to attend to my nest." And the little boy could get no one to play with him. It seems to me that we are asked to shut up our shops on the Saturday in order that some one may go and play. I say we cannot afford to go and play ; we have to earn a living for ourselves and families, and it would be a very serious matter to us if we lost our Saturday trade. Then, again, there are other trades which would be materially affected. There are, for instance, the tobacconists. They complain, and very truly, that, if they are compelled to close on the Saturday afternoon and evening, the publichouses will still be kept open, and they will sell cigars, cigarettes, and tobacco; while the tobacconists, who look to the Saturday very much for their profit in business, will be closed. Ido not think that I need trouble you by saying anything more, but I have here a letter from a tradesman in Onehunga, a portion of which I would like to read to you. [Copy of letter not supplied.] Mr. Thomas Prosser : Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, —I do not wish to occupy your time unduly. I appear here in conjunction with Mr. Bendell to represent the associated shopkeepers of Auckland. I may say, in connection with the petition which Mr. Bendell has mentioned, that unfortunately we did not bring it with us, but I hope that that petition will be laid afterwards before this Labour Bills Committee. In connection with this matter, I should like to say that those whom I represent are chiefly opposed to the provision of the Bill which makes the Saturday half-holiday compulsory. It is generally acknowledged that the Saturday is the general holiday with most people because the employees are paid on that day. Most of the operatives in Auckland receive their wages on that day." It seems to me that if that is so, and the shopkeepers have to close on the Saturday afternoon and evening, the employees and a large number of other people who have money in their pockets and require articles will be very much inconvenienced, and the shopkeepers will be losers. I called on not only the large shopkeepers but also the small shopkeepers in Auckland. I took the petition round against the compulsory Saturday afternoon and evening closing. I called in Hobson Street and Victoria Street, and there were fifty-seven persons who were against the Saturday compulsory half-holiday, seven shopkeepers who were indifferent, and three who were very much against the petition. But in speaking to the small shopkeepers I found no dissentients. The answer to my inquiry " Will you sign the petition?" was invariably " Most decidedly I will sign it, because if we are compelled to close on that day we shall be ruined. One-third of our week's takings is on that day, and if we lose it it will be a very serious matter to us." You will see, therefore, that it is a very serious matter, and not one to be lightly interfered with by the Legislature when so considerable a proportion of the community would lose a great part of their income by the action taken. Another important thing is that one uniform law on the subject cannot be made for the whole colony. What might suit one place would not suit another. In a town like Wellington, for instance, it might suit the shopkeepers in the centre of the town to close on Saturday, because it will not interfere with their business; but if you go into the suburbs, where the operatives live, it will follow that the shopkeepers there will take more money on the Saturday afternoon and evening, and compulsory closing will cause great inconvenience to those who dwell in those parts of the city. Therefore the law which might be right for one portion of a district would not be right for another. Let me say that in New South Wales they have a law in force which provides for compulsory closing at 6 o'clock, but it is optional with the shopkeepers to say whether they will close for the half-holiday on Saturday or Wednesday. In this Bill you propose to make the Saturday half-holiday compulsory, but that the closing during the rest of the week shall be optional. You will find that in Sydney the law at present in force works excellently. It has been in operation there for some four years, and there has been no trouble under it. Another matter has been touched upon by one of the gentlemen