LABOUR AT PLAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 147, 22 June 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

LABOUR AT PLAY.

ALL NATIONS DEMONSTRATE AT THQ

CRYSTAL PALACE,

Labour celebrated May Day at the Crystal) Palace by omitting from the programme the only real May Day item which it contained last year—namely, the Maypole.

Among the chief items that were indulged in may be mentioned a trade union and Social Democratic procession with banners, some simultaneous speaking from various platforms on the terrace lv the afternooai sunshine, a big meeting inside in the evening, the Labour play called "The Weavers,"' by Gerhardt Hauptman, and a children's entertainment with pretty songs about "liberty" and "labour." -i

Groups of-Jews and Jewesses, Poles, Ger<» mans, Scandinavians, Frenchmen, au4 Dutchmen mingled with their English brethren, for it -was an '•International" de* monstration. They voted for peace resoltn tions and sang snatches of the "Marsell* laise," and having <held up their hands it( favour of the views of Messrs Hyiidwan* Tom Mann, Ben Tlllett, Pete Curran, G. N« Barnes, and others, they wandered away to* stroll among the trees, or spend a whiJtTafi the cafe chantant, the roller-skating gym* khana, "the wonderful statue* dog," or th«J great wrestling matchw ~ i

In no place in the couutry ure May Daj( festivities more popular than in the charnM ing town of Knutsford. On May Ist, as usual, the gaily-decorated streets w«rd packed with visitors from Manchester <ui<l Liverpool, and the crowning of the M*ft Queen and the morris dancers were greeted with tremendous cheering.

May Day passed off quietly in all parts'ofi Europe. It was a holiday tor most workerst —In Italy for all. There were no special

incidents,