ANNIVERSARY DAY IN WELLINGTON

Southland Times, Issue 24650, 23 January 1942, Page 4

ANNIVERSARY DAY IN WELLINGTON

MOST OF SHOPS CLOSED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, January 22. Today was the 102nd anniversary of Wellington province. Except for the fact that State Departments and certain industries engaged in essential war production remained at work, the day was observed as usual in Wellington. Industries which do not customarily take a holiday on Anniversary Day continued to work and restaurants and fruit and confectionery shops were open as usual, but all other shops were closed.

Because of the war the Government decided to cancel the observance of Anniversary Day as a holiday, but stated that the special payments provided for in any awards or agreements should be made subject to the Holidays Labour Legislation Suspension Order 1941, which removed treble-time payment for work on holidays. Retail traders, commercial and wholesale merchants and insurance and transport companies expressed the opinion.that the Government's proposals failed to provide any means to assist the Dominion’s war effort and imposed greater obligations on the employers than did the provisions of the Acts and awards requiring the observance of Anniversary Day as a holiday. They therefore decided that employers not engaged on essential war production should follow the usual practice and observe the holiday.