A.—4

278

Bth Day.] Celebration of King's Biethday. [13 June, 1911. Sir JOSEPH WARD : I have made it " Dominions." We look at it from two standpoints—one, the desirability of celebrating Empire Day and not having it blotted out, which I think is very important; and lam satisfied that in a country like New Zealand our people would not agree to two days, the 24th May and the 3rd June, being regarded as holidays. If seems to me that an expression of opinion from this Conference as to the desirability of having Empire Day or Victoria Day celebrated upon the Monarch's birthday, not the present King's birthday but each Monarch's birthday in the years to come, is a good thing, because it would perpetuate Empire Day or Victoria Day for all time ; and while I have personally the highest reverence for the late Queen Victoria, who reigned so long over this country, I think, in practice, it is not possible for the oversea countries to attempt to keep up on the birthday of a former monarch the recognition of the fact that it was a glorious reign and a good reign, though we want in some tangible form to show that we appreciated it. We appreciate it just the same, but for practical reasons it seems to me we ought to have an understanding that Empire Day is to be celebrated on the Monarch's birthday in such of the countries as desire to do it. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : If you leave it "in such of the countries as desire to do it " there is no need for such a resolution as this. I would point out this difficulty which we have in Canada and which exists also in South Africa, that the 24th May is Empire Day. It is understood now that you propose to let the celebration take place on the Monarch's birthday. That is all right at the present time, but just consider those conditions. The Monarch's birthday is on the 3rd June, and in most of the Empire that would be a very convenient day, but if the Sovereign's birthday were to be in the month of January, in Canada we could not make a celebration then as conveniently as we could in the month of June. We did not observe the last Monarch's—King Edward Vll—birthday on the 9th November, which is stormy weather with us, but celebrated it on the 24th May. The celebration we had was simply a royal salute and an official dinner, but it was not made a legal holiday. Now you propose that Empire Day should move with the birthday of the reigning Monarch, and you propose to leave that to the Dominions. It is far better to leave it to the Dominions to celebrate it if they choose. The CHAIRMAN : The Prince of Wales's birthday is on the 23rd June. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : Then it is all right for two generations. Sir JOSEPH WARD : Of course, if the movement for the celebration of Empire Day throughout the Dominions is to be what I call of practical use, it seems to me very important that we should have it on the one day throughout the Empire if we can. I am quite certain that in New Zealand we will not continue the celebration on the 24th May, which is too close to the 3rd June, because it would mean public holidays in both cases, and with the Prince of Wales's brithday coming on the 23rd June that still aggravates the position ; and it does seem to me that it is desirable that we should fix one day. It would look very awkward indeed, as far as Empire Day is concerned, if we celebrate it on King George V's birthday, and in some other country they carried it out on the 24th May, and in another portionjof£the Dominions on another day still. Sir WILFRID LAURIER: It is not worth while having a discussion upon it. Mr. BATCHELOR : As far as Australia is concerned, Empire Day is not a statutory holiday. In some of the States, however, they issue a proclamation declaring it a public holiday, but the practice in the States varies ; they do not all have the same, and it would be no use our passing a resolution as we cannot express any opinion on the matter. We must leave it to them. Sir JOSEPH WARD : Unless there is unanimity on the point, I see that it is quite useless, but as far as New Zealand is concerned I feel sure we will fix ours on the 3rd June.