KING'S BIRTHDAY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13434, 5 November 1907, Page 6

KING'S BIRTHDAY.

THE HOLIDAY IN TIMARU. IMPORTANT TO HOUsEXEi^PERS. A good deal of doubt exists lu the minds or some people as to wnafo ; -s io be done with regard to keeping the Ring's Birthday. The Mayor's in yesterday's "Herald" -vequisti.l the citizens generally to observe the 11th, a 6 the holiday, but »he \ anou.s Government agents throughout tbe co ci>y have received, word that 'ill workers 1.-nin.l by an award of the Arbitration C ourt must observe Saturday, the 9th, as the holiday, the sovereign's l.irtudny being specified in all awards as a fnctovy ho ■ day. This means that half ihj town will observe Saturday and half Monliv, v-1. ch is a source of considerable incouvenk-n The workers who will be most affected are the bakez s. Saturday is a holiday for them but employers can get over t.'ie n'/fi: t'.ty by paying their hands double v.ag-es f-i tnat day. Judging by. .-nquirL's m-vie among, bakeis yesterday t- is _m probable that master bakers will pay the extrawages in order to carry (ocuumeis x--ev Sunday, so that- housekeepers will be obliged tc obtain sufficient bread mi Friday to lass till Monday. Nothii.-j, lia.s jet, however, been decided jpon, bu:- Mr \V. G. Dunsford, secretary to the Master Bakers' Aw ouiation, is as-cer'ainuig the feeling amongst bakers, and he-will probably amirunce in a rater iV-» ie of ;_i.r '" Herald" which day is to be observed. (To the Editor of the "Timaru Herald.") Sir, —With all due reverence to the monarch of this Dominion, I think it high time that some brake was put- on t-hTs continual holiday-making, and especially when the Government is so imperative as to jkeep both the spirit and the letter of tbe law, I think the Mayor ought to call a meeting and insist that it we° have to keep the King's Birthday, itshould be on a Monday, or ady other day but Saturday. It is about time that this red-tapeism "was put a stop to. We are getting as bad as the Russians for holidavs and saint's days.- You will not find anyone observing the King's Birthday, but the banking firms in the United Kingdom. They have not time, and I suppose they are as patriotic as we are. Look at the cost to the country. I'll be bound to Gay that every holiday we have we lost a halfmillion of money in wages and cost of travelling. There is too much of this show business, arid the sooner it is put a stop tp the better. .It is of no utility to us. We can wish tbe King every success, but we are not obliged to sacrifice a day's pay for his benefit, and thank God he is democratic enough not to expect this 'sacrifice. My advice to the business people of this town is to open as usual on Saturday, which is the only day that we do any business during the week. I trust the Mayor will be again requisitioned to convene a meeting for the purpose, and keep open in spite of the Labour Department's proclamation.—l am, etc., 317.