KING’S BIRTHDAY

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11934, 28 January 1936, Page 3

KING’S BIRTHDAY

NOW JUNE 23 After being accustomed for -the past 26 years to observing June 3 as a holiday in recognition of the birthday of the late King, George, the Empire will for the extent of King Edward’s reign celebrate the King’s birthday on June 23 . The new date will make it necessary for a rearrangement of many official and sporting fixtures which have already been included in lists of events. This year June 3 will fall on a Wednesday and June 2 3 on a Tuesday. June 3 in New Zealand has a number of fixtures which are held every year the date falls on a week day. At Otaki, Auckland and Dunedin, for instance, races are held. Again, the annual Rugby football match between Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa, and that between Wanganui and Taranaki, are usually arranged, if possible for this date. In every city and town of the Dominion, too, sports meetings of all descriptions are held. This day has been a hank holiday for so long now that people will probably find the new day strange. It is more than likely that the coming June 3 will be regarded as the King’s birthday until the last moment. This year’s calender has already been issued with June 3 marked as a holiday. The dates for the Otaki, Auckland and Dunedin winter race meetings will have to be rearranged by the Racing Conference, if a change of the date of King Edward’s birthday is desired; other fixtures might also have to be changed. Similarly all other annual sports events set down for June 3 will have to be rearranged. The Rugby unions concerned will attend to the matches between Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa and Wanganui and Taranaki. Possibly, though a rearrangement of the various fixtures will be avoided. It may be considered by the authorities, in view of the magnificent service King George gave his observed as a holiday—a commemoration day (states The Dominion), people, that June 3, should still be In that case both June 3 and June 23 of this year would be regarded as Royal birthday holidays. Already it has been suggested by a number of people, though they are not interested in present sporting arrangements, that it would be very fitting if King George’s birthday continued to be observed by the Empire.