LABOUR DAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14819, 24 October 1911, Page 6

LABOUR DAY.

Labour Day, which was celebrated yesterday in the usual manner, has not yet taken its proper place in the list of great national holidays, notwithstanding its statutory character. It is when we come to enquire what it really stands for, what it is that we are supposed to celebrate on that day, that the reason for this becomes apparent. Labour Day is the apotheosis of the eight hours system which is now so general that one has almost forgotten that there was a time when it was unknown in New Zealand. In some vague sort of way, too, the Day is intended to be associated with the Labour legislation of New Zealand—legislation which by the way the workers themselves arc beginning to find fault with. But it lacks the essential quality of appealing to all classes of workers. In this country we are all workers. We all belong more or less to the one class. Demagogues and politicians may for their own purposes represent the community as divided into two sectionsthose who toil, and those who neither toil nor spin. But as a matter of fact the vast majority of the people of New Zealand are engaged in working for a living either for themselves or their families. Labour Day, however, is associated with only one division of this large class, though it may be

the most deserving division. It comprises the bulk of the manual workers, and is beyond all manner of doubt the best organised division of the great industrial army. But until Labour Day can appeal to all workers alike and with equal force, until it acquires something of that saving grace whose touch makes all sections of the community kin, it is not likely to possess the crown and glory which should rightly belong to it. But pending that consummation we should like to see Labour Day assume a more lofty character than that of a mere popular holiday, differing in little, if anything, from other holidays given up to outside revels and enjoyment. Why should it riot have an educational side which would preach the gospel of the dignity and nobility of work? We are apt in these days to forget that there is such a gospel and that Labour is not only, dignified and noble but that it, too, has its duties and responsibilities. Labour Day would, we fancy, gain in popular estimation if we were all reminded in some way of these things on that day.