PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26903, 15 October 1948, Page 5

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

OBSERVANCE IN TERMS OF AWARDS

.PROVISION FOR TRANSFER P.A. WELLINGTON, Oct.'l4.

The transfer of the holiday in th« terms of awards to the following Monday when Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on a Saturday is provided for in the Public Holidays Amendment Bill introduced and read a first time in the House of Representatives to-day. In these circumstances the Boxing Day holiday and that on January 2 would be observed on the following Tuesday. The Bill also provides that the Anniversary Day award holidays that fall on a Saturday or Sunday shall be transferred to the following Monday. The transfer of the Anzac Day holiday is prohibited except in the case of a worker required to work that day. Under the present law, Christmas Day. or New Year's Day are transferred to the following Monday in the event of their falling on the Sunday. The Bill states that where, provision is made in any Act, award or industrial agreement for the granting of a holiday, the observance of certain hours of labour, or the payment of certain rates of wages on Christmas Day or New Year's Day those provisions shall apply on the next Monday should either of the holidays fall on a Saturday. Similar provision is made in regard to Boxing Day and the January 2 holiday should they occur on a Sunday. The Bill states that where provision is made in any Act, award or industrial agreement for the granting of a holiday, the observance of certain hours of labour or the payment of certain rates of wages on the day of the anniversary of any province and that day falls on a Saturday or Sunday those provisions shall apply on the next Monday as if it were that anniversary day. If any Act, award or industrial agreement provides for the transfer of the granting of a holiday, the observance of certain hours of labour or the payment of certain rates of wages on Anzac Day to any other day that provision is declared by the Bill to be void and of no effect. There is a proviso, however, that this section shall not affect any provision permitting or requiring an employer to grant a holiday on any other day instead of Anzac Day where the worker is required to work on Anzac Day at ordinary rates of wages.