HOLIDAYS GENERALLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12280, 26 May 1903, Page 4

HOLIDAYS GENERALLY.

In our yesterday's impression it was stated that the Wellington Employers' Association had expressed an opinion that the multiplication of holidays was becoming a loss and nuisance, it being now necessary in many occupations to pay workers high rates of pay and for all overtime besides. The attempt to have a holiday on May 25 as well as on June 3 was condemned, and it was pointed out that the latter date was fixed in many awards, but the former was not. Our readers will also have in mind the protest of Mr. H. M. Smeeton, on behalf of the Grocers' Association, which appeared in our paper of Saturday. It would appear as if the question of holidays would have to be dealt with by a special Act of Parliament. At present holidays are scattered about by our rulers with a reckless disregard of the interests or the convenience of the public which is somewhat remarkable. The Factories Act has a provision with regard to holidays, enacting that there shall be "a whole holiday on every Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, and birthday of the reigning Sovereign then, " wages for each whole or halfholiday shall, in the case of each woman or boy under eighteen years of age, be at the same rate as for ordinary; working days."- This pro- J

vision must operate somewhat, unequally. Some employers have in their factories women and lads only. They have to pay full wages, while apparently men have not to be paid. In some cases these men, who have wives and families dependent on them, are less able to lose their wae;es for a day than women and boys. Then, also, the holidays are affected by the awards in the different trades. In the award affecting grocers' assistants the following days are specified as holidays: — New Year's Day, the day following such day, Good Friday. Easter Monday, King's Birthday, Labour Day, Prince of Wales' Birthday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and Anniversary Day—ten days. It is not obligatory to pay on these days, so that in many cases we believe the men would willingly dispense with the holidays. In the award for builders and contractors' labourers, the following are the holidays specified: — Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday, Labour Day. and the King's Birthday. In the award for the furniture trades the holidays for which special pay is awarded are: — Good Friday and Christmas Day, Easter Monday, King's Birthday, New Year's Day, Anniversary Day and Labour Day. Labour Day was added to the Factories Act as a holiday in 1801, and we presume that "Empire Day" will be added next. Now, there are various purposes which a holiday has to serve. The first is to give opportunity for recreation to hard-working people, and next that certain events shall be commemorated. Now, if Parliament multiplies holidays at the rate that it has been doing these will become odious in the eyes of working men, with the objects they are supposed to commemorate. We do not know, for instance, that there is any great desire to commemorate Empire Day. The consolidation and federation of the Empire is a matter which is still in the distant future. To make a holiday for that event is prophecy rather than commemoration. And certainly to make too many holidays will become very unpopular with the workers. Perhaps the best way to bring Parliament and Ministers to consider what they are doing would be to deduct a day's pay from every member, and to dock Ministers in the same proportion. And lastly, we say that it is a pity that these holidays, which should be days of rejoicing and gladness, should be a means of irritation and annoyance.