LABOUR DAY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 24, 20 October 1898, Page 30

LABOUR DAY.

Wednesday, 12th inst., was Labour Day, and was celebrated throughout the Oniony with the usual festivity, which has always .■ttrnded the event. The day is reported to have been generally fine, and the various trades' processions in the different centres wore well attended and attested to the popularity of the movement. At Wellington the Right Hon. the Premier delivered an address at the sports held there, ami said that the day's gathering was an object lesson to the outside world of the good that came from shorter hours of labour. He spoke of the legislation, in the interest of the working classes, which had been accomplished during the present session, and instanced the Municipal Franchise Bill and Old Age Pensions Bill. Mr. Seddon said he regarded the Workmen's Compensation Bill as containing one of the greatest reforms that had ever been before the country. In "Dunedin the usual procession was held in the morning and was witnessed by an exceptionally large number of citizens. Sports were held in the afternoon and attracted a very considerable crowd. This portion of the day's enjoyment was, however, somewhat marred by a number of accidents which occurred during the cycling events, but none of these were, happily, attended by any very serious results. lteports from tho different country towns throughout the Colony go to show that the holiday was thoroughly enjoyed, not only by the working^ men, but by those in sympathy with the eight hours' movement.

In regard to the aged, it has been observed that in the great majority of cases, when life .has ceased to be a pleasure, death has ceased to be a terror. She who does not make her family comfortable will herself never be happy at home, and the who is not happy at home will I never be happy anywhere.