TO-DAY'S HOLIDAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22251, 28 October 1935, Page 10

TO-DAY'S HOLIDAY

MANY SPOTTING EVENTS

SUMMER SEASON OPENS PICNICS AND EXCURSIONS In hopes that the experience of last year, when perfect conditions prevailed for Labour Day, has broken the long spell of bad weather which lias dogged this holiday, an extensive programme of outdoor functions has been arranged for to-day. Labour Day is looked upon as the opening of the summer sporting season and most sports bodies will decide events to-day. Racegoers will be well catered for by the second day of the Auckland Trotting Club's Spring Meeting at Alexandra Park, and by the Waikato Hunt Club's one-day meeting at Cambridge, for which a special excursion train will be run by the Railway Department.

A full round in the Auckland Cricket Association's senior championship will be decided to-day. Ponsonby and Eden will meet on No. 2 wicket at Eden Park, and Y.M.C.A. and Parnell on No. 3 wicket. Grafton and University will be the opposing teams at Victoria Park, and at North Shore, King's Old Boys will play North Shore. The athletic meeting at the Domajn is always a feature of the Labour Day holiday, and a number of prominent athletes will be competing in the events to bo decided to-day. Several Labour week-end tournaments will be continued by the golf clubs, while competitions will be played at the various bowling greens. Yacht and launch enthusiasts regard the holiday as the unofficial opening of the cruising season and many have already left on week-end trips. Numerous picnics and excursions will be made by steamer, launch and bus to beaches near the city and in the gulf. Evening attractions will include, in addition to holiday programmes at the picture theatres, a wrestling bout at the Town Hall between Lofty Blomfield and C'estoldi. To-day's holiday celebrates the legalising of the eight-hour day, but although an eight-hour period has been incorporated as the working day in numerous awards and has become recognised as the standaid, no special Act of Parliament has been passed making it so. The Labour Day Act of 1899 directed that the second Wednesday in October should be observed as a holiday, but this was changed in 1910 to the "fourth Monday in October. It was for many years marked by a procession, but this has now been discontinued.