A TRADES' COUNCIL PROTEST.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 224, 21 September 1907, Page 5

A TRADES' COUNCIL PROTEST.

SOME STRONG LANGUAGE

[press association.]

AUCKLAND;' Sept. 18

The proposal to establish a holiday to celebrate Dominion Day met with strong opposition at the hands of the Auckland Trades' and Labour Council to-night. Mr Park considered the secretary should write to the Premier, pointing out the absurdity of having such a holiday. "They are racking their brains," he said, "to see how to amuse the people. If you'd heard the talk against the holiday in the factories, you'd know what Avas felt. I'm dead against the holiday. I cannot afford to lose 10s and dance to 'Joey Ward's music' " He moved, " That this Council strongly protests against a proposal to add to the list of holidays by establishing another holiday, or will be expected to lose a day's pay from their already attentuated wages." Mr Dayland seconded the resolution. He considered it absurd to ask the people to give up a day's work to celebrate a change of name. Mr A. Rosser said he was glad that Mr Park had brought the matter up. In the first place they did not require the holiday. In the second place it was at the wrong time of the year, if they did require it. If they must have it, let it be substituted for Anniversary Day. The Chairman (Mr Charles Agers) said the whole thing was a screaming farce from start to finish. "It is a pity," he said, "that we can't put an extinguisher on it. The ' glorious Premier' came along with his great surprise, and nobody took a bit of notice of it ; now he is trying to wok it up. We are the workers—we are the producers. Our rights are hot. going to be trampled on by a tinpot Jingle thing like Dominion Day." (Laughter and apnlause.) '•; . The motion was carried. PALMERSTON N., Sept. 21.

The decision not to celebrate Dominion Day has .been reversed, and the town will now fall into line with others. V '."?"'. WELLINGTON, Sept, 21. Local business-men. are mostly opposed to the idea of a holiday on Dominion Day.