The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-03 00:00:00

The Saturday Half-Holiday Movement.

A numerously attended meeting was held last
night at St. James's-hall, under the auspices of the
Saturday Half-holiday Committee, for the purpose
of publicly thanking the employers who have recently
adopted the Saturday half-holiday, as well as re-
porting upon the present position of the movement,
and promoting its further extension. Mr. B. Bowen
(Shoolbred and Co., Tottenham-court-road) pre-
sided, and in opening the proceedings said he would
not occupy the present position in which he had been
placed if he did not believe that the interest of em-
ployer and employed in the movement were iden-
tical. From the experience of the past three months
they found that the same business could be done
up to 2 o'clock on Saturday as was done 20 years
ago up to 9 o'clock in the evening, and when such
was the case it was to be hoped that the employers
would make a concession which was so much needed
and desired. On the 13th of July 42 houses closed
at 2 o'clock on Saturday, and since that time the
number had increased to 84. In Islington, some of
the houses which had transacted business up to 9
o'clock on Saturday evenings had begun to close at
5 o'clock ; and the shops in the Burlington-arcade
now closed at 4 o'clock, instead of a much later
hour. Mr. Larkin (Messrs. Hitchcock, Williams,
and Co.) moved the first resolution, as follows :
" That the sincere thanks of this meeting be offered
to those employers, who, by closing their establish-
ments at 2 o'clock on Saturdays, have conferred the
benefits of the Saturday half-holiday upon a large
number of persons in various trades, and have led
to an abridgment in the hours of business on Satur-
day night in the late shopping districts of the me-
tropolis." In the course of his remarks he expressed
the hope that the employers of the metropolis
would further their own interests by countenancing
the movement. He said the young men to whom a
half holiday was given on Saturday entertained
grateful feelings towards their employers for the
much-needed boon, and in the end those employers,
instead of losing by the concession, gained by it.
Mr. Ferry (Messrs. Goode, Gainsford, and Co.),
who seconded the resolution, entered his protest
against protracted and continuous labour. He said
the trade assistants in their efforts to gain the Satur-
day half-holiday did not want to do less work than
they did at present, but they wished to do the same
amount of work in a shorter space of time—(cheers)
—and they wanted to be enabled to devote the
Sabbath to its legitimate use. (Renewed cheering.)
The resolution was then put and carried amid ac-
clamation. Mr. St. Clair (Messrs. Marshall and
Snellgrove) proposed the next resolution :—" That
this meeting presents its sincere thanks to her grace
the Duchess of Sutherland, whose generous exer-
tions, with those of the Countess Ducie and Lady
Elcho, have secured the co-operation of a large
number of the metropolis for the support and ex-
tension of the Saturday half-holiday." He said it
was insinuated by some persons that the majority of
the trade assistants did not sympathise with the
movement, and by others that the assistants wished
to force the employers into submission. He wished
to repudiate both of these insinuations, and to assure
the employers that no such sentiments were held by
the assistants. Mr. Hyde seconded the resolution, and
it was carried with enthusiasm. Mr. Hamer (Messrs.
Dewar, Son, and Sons) proposed the third resolu-
tion :—" That this meeting respectfully solicits the
public to support the Saturday half-holiday move-
ment by not shopping after two o'clock on Satur-
days, and thus to promote the abridgment of the
late hours which still prevail on Saturday even-
ings in various parts of the metropolis. Mr.
Bryant (Messrs. Debenham and. Freebody) seconded
the resolution, which was unanimously adopted.
The Chairman acknowledged the receipt of nu-
merous subscriptions given in support of the move-
ments, and said that as £l,OOO was required to
carry out the programme adopted by the committee
on a recent occasion, he anxiously hoped that in-
creased aid would be afforded. The proceedings
terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.