LONG WEEK-ENDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22917, 21 December 1937, Page 14

LONG WEEK-ENDS

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR the effect upon awards INCIDENCE OF HOLIDAYS The occurrence of the Christmas and JCew Year holitlavs at the end. of the week last year and this year has caused close investigation .of statutory and award provisions and the apparent confusion, created by the introduction of the five days working week, has impelled the Government to promise retrospective amending legislation. It is generally assumed that a similar situation will not arise for several years. Actually, Boxing Day will fall on a Saturday (as in 1936) in 1942 and Christmas "Day will again be a Saturday in 1943. There is therefore need for the clarifying legislation promised by the Government. A moro interesting aspect of the incidence of Christmas" Day is the effect upon shopping and factory holidays caused by the combination of the Christmas holidays and the week-end. This year, Saturday, Sunday and Monday are holidays for shops. Next year and again in 1939, shops will be closed on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. In 1938, December 25 is a Sunday; Christmas Day is legally the following Monday, and again in 1939, Monday is Christmas Day. Those who are employed five days a week will have four holidays in succession at Christmas in 1938 and 1939 (Saturday to Tuesday) and in 1941 (Thursday to Sunday); three in 1942 (Friday to Sunday) and 1943 (Saturday to Monday) and again four in 1944 (Saturday to Tuesday). A similar extension of tbe week-end also occurs when New Year's Day follows or precedes Saturday. Thus in 1938, there will be four successive holidays at Christmas and three at New Year. During the recent discussion, no authoritative opinion has been given as to whether there is legally a Boxing Day when December 26 is a Sunday. The law relating to public holidays states that if December 25 is a Sunday, the following Monday and Tuesday are respectively Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but nothing is said regarding the observance of Boxing Day when December 25 is a Saturday.