Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-10-09
TOO MANY HOLIDAYS.
British Workingmen Themselves inter-
csted in Reducing the Number.

The subject of holidays among the
English working classes is being dis
cussed with much interest. There has
been a steady growth in the number of
occasions when a cessation of work
has become customary Where only
one day was formerly taken, now the
day before the usual holiday and the
day after are sometimes expected
The northern advisory trades COM
mittee has had the subject called to
is attention and propose to consider
its further and try to reduce the num-
Der of holidays and bring order out of
the existing chaos. There are now &c
days iii q year recognized as legiti
mate occasions for holidays in most
cities in England. They are as follows.
Christmas day. the following day,
known as boxing day, and often the
rnxt day after New Years day and
the next day after Easter, beginning on
Good Friday and including the Mon
day following Easter Sunday: Whits-
untide, two days; race week, six days,
a week known as Wakes week; Au-
gust bank holiday; and three or four
days fer the Elswiek trips, a holiday
tltiIIiCd ny HltHy "oihiilt oulSlut tIt
Elswick works All these holidays are
not universal over England Instead of
those omitted many places have local
holidays. as the Fair Week in Hull,
and the Goose Fair Week in Noting
ham.
Tho effort being made is to lessen
the number of holidays and bring
those retained into a more systematic
order. Much confusion and loss to
business and to many workingmen,
who can i'll afford the loss of so much
time, follows the present custom of
taking holidays. How to deal practi-
caliy with a matter where there are so
many conflicting interests is difficult.
The holidays mentioned are in adj
dition to the weekly half holidays. OBJ
served on Wednesday or Saturdays,
which prevail in nearly all the shops.
factories and shipyards in and around
Newcastle. One large establishment,
peculiar to itself gives it's employees the
privilege Of choosing their own time
for taking the holiday. Annually a
vote is taken among the workingmen
and The date favored by majority is
the enc decided upon.
Five years ago a moVment was
started in Bradford for general
holiday of the textile trades, instead
of the mills in each district observing
as the holiday week the occasion of
the local tide, feast or wakes. The so
called battle of the tides still contin-
ues. but though in this midAugust
Mannangham tide was celebrated by
a mile i'm W NJ n o. m dictrirt
of Bradford--it was also the Halifax
wakes-the succeeding week Bowling
tide was generally recognized as the
great holiday week in Bradford. This
feast is now held on a definitely fixed
date, the first Sunday. or in many
cases the first Saturday, after Aug.
Il,
This year a record holiday is expect
ed in Bradford, as there has been a
season of unprecedented prosperity.
unmarried by any serious strike Tex
cept that Of the dyers early in the
year,, as was the case in 1911 with the
railway strike, and the coal strike in
1912
The practice of regular savings for
the annual holiday is generally fol-
lowed in this district and throughout
the north of England. Many holiday
money clubs are organized and con-
Quoted by the work people themselves
Some firms undertake-the care of theiI
work peoples money and add bon
| Uses, an excellent practice which APP
pears to be increasing. One large hrH
of wool combers and spinners has PAID
| out in that way this year $4,000, while
| another firm has distributed approx
mately $4,000. and many other firms
| similar or smaller amounts. One firm
| has started a syste of granting q
weeks wages for holiday week to al
employees who have been steadily al
| wcrk.-Consular Reports.