A MIXED HOLIDAY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13434, 5 November 1907, Page 4

A MIXED HOLIDAY.

The position which has l arisen in connection with the observance of the King's Birthday affords a striking proof of the disadvantages which may attend the framing of cast-iron rules with regard to holidays. The Mayor, acting, we believe, in consonance with the bulk of public opinion in the matter, has, <isked the citizens of Timaru to shift the holiday forward from Saturday until Monday, bub that considerable section of the community which has its going-out and its coming-in regulated by tho decisions of the Arbitration Court is triable to effect this .transference, and keep to jtho Saturday. It is highly probable, we think, that the factory employees would prefer to make holiday with the rest of the town, but apparently, as our reporter has put it, half the town will be at work on the one day and half on the other. It seems rather remarkable' that the Arbitration Court did not anticipate the possibility of a statutory holiday like this falling upon a Saturday, to the inconvenience of the employers, tuid really to the detriment of the pleasure of - the employees, but it seems now that- there

is no way out of tlie difficulty unless factory workers tire paid at a special rate on the Saturday, or given a holiday on each day. It appears to us that- this incident furnishes a sort of object lesson in support of the: contention that- discretionary power should be given to each locality to suit itself in regard to the observance of these holidays, or else that we should adopt the Victorian system to which the Premier referred approvingly a shortwhile back, and make' it a rule that all holidays with the exception of Good Friday and Christmas Day should be kept on the nearest- Monday. The latter system has much to commend it. and itwould certainly obviate the difficulties which at present are bound to crop up when a statutory holiday happens to fall ou a Saturday.