“First I Have Heard of It”

Northern Advocate, 19 August 1938, Page 9

“First I Have Heard of It”

Mr Savage on. May Day.

[Special to •*. Northern Advocate .” 3 WELLINGTON, This Day. May Day was mentioned in the House of Representatives today during consideration of the Estimates for the Prime Minister’s department. The subject was raised by Mr S. G. Smith (National. —New Plymouth) who said that there was a rumour that New Zealand’s delegates to the 1.L.0. Conferences at Geneva had been asked to ascertain the prospects of having May Day made a universal holiday. He alleged that in future agreements between the Minister of Public Works and the New Zealand Workers’ Union, ,an effort would be made to have May Day included as a statutory holiday, and it had been suggested that the matter was in abeyance until some agreement had been reached at Geneva.

The Minister of Labour, Mr H. T. Armstrong: That has been on the stocks for 40 years. Mr Smith said it might have been under the surface for 40 years, but it had only recently come to life. In reply to the Minister of Education, Mr P. Fraser, Mr Smith said that May Day was the Socialist-Com-munist day of celebration. He asked the Prime Minister if lie was in agreement on the question of May Day being made a statutory holiday.

“Rumours are not. covered in these Estimates, and I cannot attempt to reply.” said Mr Savage. “It is the first I have heard of it; our delegates don't go to Geneva with instructions about May Day.”