ANZAC DAY.

Northern Advocate, 27 January 1922, Page 3

ANZAC DAY.

' I SUNDAYISIXG '' BILL,

PASSED BY THE HOUSE,

The Anzae Day Amendment Bill, enacting that An'zae Day shall be <o.b : served "in all respects as if it were a Sunday," was passed by the Houise of liepiesent-atives on Tuesday night. Mr E. McCallum (Wairau) wished to see commemorative services held.in all the churches upon the Sunday nearest Anzae Day. The Bill did mot seem to him to mean very much as it stood. What was meant by the " Salndmyising'' of Anzae Day.

Tilie Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. W. D. Stewart) said the Defence Committee, to which, the Bill had been referred, had been unanimously of opinion that the gene ml public, as well as the R.S.A., resented the fact that under the Anzac Day Act it had been permissible to keep places of amusement open on Anzac Day. Tihe introduction of a Bill merely ouaking Anzac Day a Sunday had seemed preferable to bringing down a measure in which it would have been necessary to set out a string of pains and penalties for infringement. Mr McCallum was r;ot satisfied. He could understand the institution of a commemorative day, but not tihe creation of another Sunday. Hew many of the men who were asking that Anzac Day should be made a Sunday were in the habit of going to church on Sundays? The churches were the places in which Anzac Day t should 'be celebrated. Mr G. Mitchell (Wellington South) expressed approval of 'the Bill. He thought that the Government had done the right thing in providing for the solemn observance of Anzac Diry. Mr J. A. Nash (Pakncrstori) approved of the Bill, but mentioned that the municipal elections would fall 011 a day very close to Anzac Day. It seemed desirable to arrange for the holding of the election:- a week earlier. Sir John Luke (Wellington North) and other members supported the Bill heartily. The possible effect of the Bill upon wages was menitknied by Mr W. A. Veitoh (W.inganui), who suggested tiha.t by declaring Anzac Day to be a Sunday the House might be depriving some workers of a day's will's. The Minister said that he realised there was a difficulty concerning the municipal elections and wages. He would have both. points considered. It anpearcd that certain classes of workers would have to be paid double wages if they worked on Anzac Day. The effect of the Bill on the newspapers had been considered. He had been fdvised that the newspapers could print •tinl publish on Amzac Day, and he ■presumed they would also sell.