THE KING'S BIRTHDAY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 34, 4 November 1907, Page 8

THE KING'S BIRTHDAY.

WHEN WILL IT BE OBSERVED? > Tho King's Birthday—November 9, falls this year on a Saturday. By the Civil Service it will bo observed.on the .Monday lotlowing, but the usual difficulties are ilireutonod in the way of fixing a uniform holiday. Air. J. Lomas, Chief Inspector of Factories, explained the position to a represontativu of The Dominion. With regard to factories there is no choice in the matter. ;<'<»• them the Factories Act makes Saturday a compulsory holiday, whatever day. the rest of tho community may choose for honourinK His Majesty. They can closo again on Monday if thuy like. 'Die Shops and Offices Act, however,' does not prevent tradesmen from closing on the Monday, iustoad of Saturday, and if they do this, they .•.ill not be compelled "to closo on t!ie following Wednesday afternoon. Those that keep i:ofiday on the Saturday, must shut up shop !ht! following Wednesday afternoon, the law iiaing that they must observe 0110 statutory half-holiday each wool;. It is expected that a majority of the shopkeepers will observe the holiday' on Monday. The Shops and Offices Act also provides that when a public holiday !i i;ivcn voluntarily to shop assistants they must be paid for it. At tho last meeting of the New Zealand Shopkeepers' Association, the Secretary (Mr. FI. F. Allon) said tho position was not generally understood —the shopkeepers really ■tnuirl do anything they liked, providing they observed the. statutory half-holiday. There •.vas no compulsion to observe any holiday— •iho statutory lialf-lioliday was sufficient* in the ease of shopkeepers who were not workiim unde.r an award. He tonic it that days like Christmas Day and Good Friday would be observed as a Sunday. It was tbeii stated that the bunks, insurance ,aml Government nflicos and Harbour Hoard, were observing t!ic holiday 011 the Monday. At a moe'tin;; of the Wellington Iron and iirass Moulders Union on Friday night, Mr. I). M'Lnrcii was instructed to notify tho employers, "That if jiny work is done 0:1 Saturday, November il (Kinu's Hirthday), the I7i]ion will claim that double time rntos be paid, as these are the rates specified in the award."