CHRISTMAS DAY OFFICIALLY ON DECEMBER 27

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 October 1948, Page 2

CHRISTMAS DAY OFFICIALLY ON DECEMBER 27

[SPECIAL TO STAR] WELLINGTON, This Day. Confusion has arisen and some apparent anomalies have been created by the Public Holidays Amendment Bill introduced in the House of Representatives at the end of last week. The transference of Christmas Day, which falls on a Saturday this year, to the following Monday, December 27, for the purpose of all Acts and awards, involves few difficulties for the great majority of people who now have Saturdays off. The new legislation will simply mean that they observe their usual Christmas Day on Saturday and have extra holidays on Monday and Tuesday. People who at present work on Saturdays, but not on December 25 are, however, placed in a peculiar position by the Bill. Under its provisions, as checked with the Labour Department, they may be required to work on December 25 this year for the usual Saturday hours at usual Saturday rates and have their “Christmas Day” on December 27. Hotel workers, employees of sports organisations, picture theatres and newspapers are among those affected.

The secretary of the National Council of the Licensed Trade (Mr P. Coyle) said today that the days when the hotels will be open will not be affected by the Bill, the only question involved being that of penalty rates and time off for the staff. This, it is understood, is already being considered by the Labour Department, as a result of representations. The same question arises with the employees of picture theatres, some of which according to present intentions, will be open both on the night €f December 25 and the “official” Christmas Day, Monday, December 27.