WORKING' CLASS HOLIDAYS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1266, 18 November 1884, Page 1

WORKING' CLASS HOLIDAYS.

The subject of holidays of the working .classes, or rather of'days' ~bn W.hich labor censes, is not (inly of considerable interest hut bears in Beveral ways on the labor question. : In France Sundays and fdes cause a chiSmnie, ' or cessation of labor, amounting during tbVyeaT D td 100 days, hi Russia there are 24 holidays in addition to Sunday, making irrall '76 Lhnn-work-ing days. In- Greece the ; jihmber of churchfestivals kvpt as s'ricfc holidays is so greatas to leave/dnly/_265 Working ray* in the y*ar, ; addeii k T.'i"wi>H;lvthere are 195 fast days on" wh ch, however, work is carried on.' Tbe working classes "f Austria have 76 whole holiday?, tthich in tbe ptoyjnces. We stilly niorephumerous. In Bru-self, including St. Monday, the average of ivv<,iking days.is.ef'tima.ted at only 23J, altlMiu«lv the official holiday* am not more than 65.' The Swiss working classes have^m-addition to iheireligious festivals to put up with .a.certain number of drill and held-days,until thev-,|aie-28, and in some cantons 34, years of age. In Englaud the : holidays and non-working days are as . follows i.'r-t' Sunday?, 52 \ bank holiday*, 4 '; half holidays on Saturday, equal 26—total .82, days. If to thin be added the half of* St. Monday, as is too otien the case, 26 more days miist'be put down to the account, making in all 108 days in the year. Ou"; the < whole, the working classes need not complain of lack of -leisure:;-and they .come well,otf, indeed, when their situation in this nsptct is compared villi the lives of professional men, who. have to work a great deal !harder and'more continuously to insure an incoiuu which is pro'bafeiy more pr<j* icaxious, • - >