THE HOLIDAY QUESTION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 202, 20 May 1908, Page 9

THE HOLIDAY QUESTION.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GIVES A LEAD. A HALF-HOLIDAY FOlt THE FOOTBALL MATCH. Tho president (Mr. J. G. Harkness) presided at a meeting of tho Council of tho Chamber of Commerce held yesterday afternoon,- whon tho vexed question was discussed as to which of the two holidays — Empire' Day or tho Prince of Wales's Birthday — should bo observed by the, business community of Wellington, it being generally recognised as out of "the question that both holidays, occurring as they do, so closo to one another, should bo observed. The Council decided that the, best way out of the difficulty was for business people-to forego v Empire Day altogether, as it occurred |at a particularly awkward time of tho 'month (Monday next), and to observe next Wednesday afternoon as a public holiday in honour of tho British football toam, which is to play Wellington on that'day at the Athletic Park, and to merge Empii'O Day and the Princo of Walos's Birthday (Juno 3) into> ono holiday. The suggestion, as coming from tho Cliambor of Commerce, and as it practically voices tho feeling of tho wholesalo and professional pooplo of tho city, will doubtless bo genernllv adopted. Tho half-holiday proposal should meet tho desire of (1m employees, many of whdm have, been douhtkss wondering how they woro going to get off in tho middle of the week to see the football mat-ch.'