The New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1903. THE RIVAL HOLIDAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13767, 4 June 1908, Page 4

The New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1903. THE RIVAL HOLIDAYS.

It is the duty of the Government and of all others in authority to settle before 1909 the rival claims of Prince of Wales' Birthday and of Empire Day. Coming as they do within a few days of one another, on May 2-1 and. on June 3, and there being no definite understanding in any part of the Dominion as to which shall be kept, they clash in a most confusing and disheartening manner. It is evident that both will not be observed, for there is not any apparent desire or intention of doing so in any section of the public. Some trades and occupations keep one of the days; other trades and occupations keep the other, and between the two there is very widespread dissatisfaction. Yesterday all Government offices and the banks were closed, though business was carried on by the very large number of firms who had observed the alternate day. With post office, telegraph office, banks, and other public and semi-public institutions closed— and that on the eve of the Fourth of the monthgreat inconvenience was experienced. And why? Not because the public objects in any, \ way to a reasonable,number of holidays, or has any wish to do without, one holiday at a season wherein . a holiday has been kept since the for mal settlement of New Zealand,: but because two holidays have presented themselves where there is only room for one, and because the final decision as to which is to be kept has not been given. We venture to assert that there is a very universal and very emphatic desire on the part of the public to have a final decision made, so that we may not only avoid the manifold inconveniences of incertitude, but may regain at this season of the year some holiday which will be universally and heartily celebrated. Coming, as it does, some time after Easter, and some considerable time before "any other public holiday, the end of May and the beginning of June are both timely. That we cannot have both is no reason whatever why we should spoil both, but convincing reason why we should settle whether Empire Day or Prince of Wales' Birthday is to be observed.

Whichever day is chosen, a prompt and definite choice should be made. As between the two the claims of Empire Day appear to us to greatly outweigh the other, and there can be little doubt that this is the feeling of most New Zealanders. For the Twenty-fourth of May, by the : unbroken observation of sixty odd years, became a national holiday throughout New Zealand as throughout every part of Overseas Britain. The old Prince of Wales' Birthday, now the King's Birthday, was kept almost as long. . It has been almost co-existent -with the life of 'this colony,. and we make holiday in November as naturally as we make holiday.in May. The new Prince of Wales' Birthday means little to us, and it is not within human possibilities to anticipate that it can ever become established among us as a great historic occasion. There is no special reason why—with a national holiday tentatively established close to it, one which appeals to our traditions an'd to our instinctive, loyalties as no new and impermanent holiday can ever dowe should generally keep the Prince of Wales' Birthday. England itself, grown gray in nationality and loyalty, does not do so; and it cannot possibly be regarded as any reflection upon the heir-apparent if we follow the English precedent for the purpose of preserving a great Imperial holiday, which memorialises the Victorian movement and keeps fresh . the memory of the greatest Sovereign of the reigning dynasty. And while there are no special reasons why we should keep June 3, there are a score of special reasons why we should keep May 24. It is easy for every British State to do so, for outside of England they have kept it for as long as living memory commonly goes back. It is well for our British harmony that there should be an Empire Day, kept by all the selfgoverning States as a popular celebration, of their political freedom and their Imperial unity. And it is unwise to sink the lesser in the greater, to set the thought of an individual prince, however worthy, above a great national and patriotic sentiment, which by long and exceptional process became intimately associated with and finally incorporated with the old "Queen.' Birthday." With all respect to the honoured but not inviolable custom of observing as public holiday the birthday of the heir-apparent, which in the natural course of events becomes the birthday of the reigning Sovereign, we \ would urge the adoption of Empire I Day as a national holiday, and the confinement to June 3 of the most j formal observances. But if this is not the feeling of the public, and the. inclination of the Government, then let us unite in observing June 3.