[Tia Maria]

First a little bit of history, www.nzhistory.net.nz/politics/labour-day:

Labour Day commemorates the struggle for an eight-hour working day. New Zealand workers were among the first in the world to claim this right when, in 1840, the carpenter Samuel Parnell won an eight-hour day in Wellington. Labour Day was first celebrated in New Zealand on 28 October 1890, when several thousand trade union members and supporters attended parades in the main centres. Government employees were given the day off to attend the parades.

The date, 28 October, marked the first anniversary of the establishment of the Maritime Council, an organisation of transport and mining unions. The fledgling union movement was decimated by defeat in a trans-Tasman Maritime Strike in late 1890 but, despite this, the first Labour Day was a huge success. In Wellington, the highlight was an appearance by the elderly Parnell, who died just a few weeks later. From the mid-1890s the union movement began to recover slowly under the Liberal government. The Liberals' industrial conciliation and arbitration system, introduced in 1894, earned New Zealand a reputation of being a 'working man's paradise' and a 'country without strikes'.

Early Labour Day parades drew huge crowds in places such as Palmerston North and Napier as well as in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. Unionists and supporters marched behind colourful banners and ornate floats, and the parades were followed by popular picnics and sports events.

These parades also had a political purpose. Although workers in some industries had long enjoyed an eight-hour day, it was not a legal entitlement. Other workers, including seamen, farm labourers, and hotel, restaurant and shop employees, still worked much longer hours. Many also endured unpleasant and sometimes dangerous working conditions. Unionists wanted the Liberals to pass legislation enforcing an eight-hour day for all workers, but the government was reluctant to antagonise the business community.

What the Liberals did do was make Labour Day a holiday. The Labour Day Act of 1899 created a statutory public holiday on the second Wednesday in October, first celebrated in 1900. The holiday was 'Mondayised' in 1910, and since then it has been held on the fourth Monday in October.

In the first decade of the 20th century industrial unrest reappeared. The Liberal government was in decline, prices were rising and the Arbitration Court was seen as reluctant to raise wages. The more militant labour movement that emerged from around 1908 rejected the Liberals' arbitration system and condemned the increasing commercialisation of Labour Day parades. Many floats advertised businesses as well as temperance organisations, theatres, circuses and patriotic causes. Some socialists promoted May Day (1 May) as an alternative celebration of workers' struggles. Although unionists and their supporters continued to hold popular gatherings and sports events, by the 1920s Labour Day had begun to decline as a public spectacle. For most New Zealanders, it was now just another holiday.

So what is everyone up to?!

Cheers

Tia

[Jo Jo]

I'll be working.

[russetoak]

Thanks for the info. I was wondering what Labour day was all about. As to what were up to hopefully down to the beach. Have a good one.:)

[James 1077]

Having lots of people around the house for the twins' 1st birthday! :)

[Moorf]

We've taken this Friday off too so we have a nice long weekend - plan to head up into the mountains with the hounds and spend lots of time sorting out the garden... :raebanana

[Familyofmonkeys]

My mum arrives for her annual visit on sunday, so it'll be our first chance to go out somewhere together :raebanana

[AndyR]

not planned yet! im sure ill make a day trip or two! got some friends from the UK arriving in ChCH on sat as part of their tour so ill meet with them I think.

[NikT]

We've got friday off too; Hawkes Bay anniversary day.:nice1

:raebanana:raebanana

Nick.:cheers

[Moorf]

We've got friday off too; Hawkes Bay anniversary day.:nice1

:raebanana:raebanana

Nick.:cheers

Now that's good local planning!!!!

[Milliemoo]

Party Saturday :D
Work Monday AM :wah
Party Monday PM :D

& avoiding the wind and rain which is forcast :o

Milliemoo

[KerryS]

Moving house on Friday, road trip to Napier on Saturday daytime, party Saturday evening for a friend's birthday. Sunday chilling and visiting a vineyard or two to stock up on wine, and then slow trip back on Monday, with a stop off in Taupo to see some more friends.

[jubjub]

Having lots of people around the house for the twins' 1st birthday! :)

Happy Birthday to T&T :clap you will have a ball I am sure. hope the weather is good and the kids can spend time outside (less mess indoors that way! :laugh )

We will prob just be lazing about.... or doing bits about the house.

[Sam B]

Planting, gardening, stuff up on the house site. Trying to save money.

[Potato]

Probably will be working and take some time off next week instead. The weather is going to be rubbish this weekend but improving in the middle of next week.

[shakyle2906]

We have friday off too HB Anniversary !!!!! :cheers:cheers

Had hoped to go down to Wellington for few days but with hubby having treatment at hospital tomorrow and not being able to drive (and me not a driver!!) looks like not getting up to much!

Sharon
x

[melly]

We're going to Hawke's Bay for the weekend. Staying at backpackers in Napier, visiting some wineries, farmer's markets, going up the mountain. It will be our first holiday since arriving in September!

[mgbridges]

Doing a sausage sizzle and selling raffle tickets for DS's school's Gala on Sunday, other than that no firm plans. However, given the weather forecast I think a lot of time will be spent trying to keep DS occupied! :uhoh

Tia - thanks for the history lesson, I'd rep you but I'm not allowed.

Anneliese

[shakyle2906]

We're going to Hawke's Bay for the weekend. Staying at backpackers in Napier, visiting some wineries, farmer's markets, going up the mountain. It will be our first holiday since arriving in September!

You will love Te Mata peak, its awesome!
Farmers Markey in Hastings is nice, not been to Napier one. Do lovely burgers and coffees..........

Sharon
x

[melly]

You will love Te Mata peak, its awesome!
Farmers Markey in Hastings is nice, not been to Napier one. Do lovely burgers and coffees..........

Sharon
x

was planning on going to the Hastings one. BTW...do you have any recommendations on wineries to visit? There are so many that I don't want to miss a good one, or go to a heap of crap ones.

[NikT]

was planning on going to the Hastings one. BTW...do you have any recommendations on wineries to visit? There are so many that I don't want to miss a good one, or go to a heap of crap ones.

Trinity Hill is good, but they have Evermore in concert there this weekend.
So not sure if Cellar door will be open.:nice1

Nick.:cheers

[CJ22]

Given that we've just spent the week travelling, and everybody else is going to be out having fun, we've decided to stay home :)

[shakyle2906]

was planning on going to the Hastings one. BTW...do you have any recommendations on wineries to visit? There are so many that I don't want to miss a good one, or go to a heap of crap ones.

TBH havent gotten to one yet, except a meal at CHurch Road.

Craggy Range always looks stunning, you can see it from Te Mata. Also, hubbys company have just completed work at Elephant Hill and its supposed to be great too.

Sharon
x

[StevieD]

Off to a bach! :nice1

[thezorbster]

Gardening plus trying to wallpaper the hall that I ripped the wallpaper off 2 months ago!:wah

[vixxann]

gosh Steve who do you know with a bach ;)

[Carey]

Off to explore the Coromandel, staying at Shelly Beach on W. coast, hoping for some decent weather?!

[Jo Jo]

Off to explore the Coromandel, staying at Shelly Beach on W. coast, hoping for some decent weather?!

West coast? You should come to the east coast!

[M-Squared]

Hubby will be in party mode :p ;) after finishing work mid-Saturday afternoon, and I will be fretting non-stop. Reason: 7-yr old daugher is off to Brownie Camp early Sat a.m. and we pick her up at 2 p.m. Monday. The longest time (a whole 52 hours!!!!) I'll have been away from her, I'm very nervous! I just want her near me. :( I miss her when I'm at work and she's at school, so this will be AWFUL!!!!!!!! :(

[StevieD]

gosh Steve who do you know with a bach ;)


you know them too Vicky, wondered how long it would take for you to catch on :cool::laugh

[NikT]

Craggy Range always looks stunning, you can see it from Te Mata. Also, hubbys company have just completed work at Elephant Hill and its supposed to be great too.

Sharon
x

Went to do a job at Elephant Hill last week, and it does look very good.

Nick.:cheers

[DMcG]

Heading to the bach just outside Coromandel town - but leaving early Saturday morning so we won't spent 2 hours queueing for the Kopu Bridge :)

Dougie

[dilanium]

I plan on studying all weekend! Should be great fun!

[benandclare]

Clare's on nights for the first part so I'll thrash some balls around on the golf course saturday before settling down to watch Canterbury thrash Welllington:D:D

Working Monday morning but planning bike ride in afternoon as part of our training for The Graperide next year :nice1

[KerryS]

TBH havent gotten to one yet, except a meal at CHurch Road.

Craggy Range always looks stunning, you can see it from Te Mata. Also, hubbys company have just completed work at Elephant Hill and its supposed to be great too.

Sharon
x

If you end up at Craggy Range, I may see you there. My top two vineyards in HB are Craggy and Esk Valley, so I fully intend to stock up whilst there. May have to visit Elephant Hill as well now.

[Bergita]

We're going camping in the wind and the rain in Coromandel, singing and whistling happy tunes all the while.... we may chicken out and go for a chalet if the weather is too bad.

What's this about queueing? And the Kopu Bridge?

[KerryS]

We're going camping in the wind and the rain in Coromandel, singing and whistling happy tunes all the while.... we may chicken out and go for a chalet if the weather is too bad.

What's this about queueing? And the Kopu Bridge?

Kopu Bridge is the bridge that takes you across the water to Thames. Traffic often bottlenecks there, leading to huge queues.
It depends where you're heading to in the Coromandel as to whether you need to go this way. You many be better off heading down to Tauranga and then turn towards Waihi. I find the traffic is usually a lot calmer going this way.

[DMcG]

What's this about queueing? And the Kopu Bridge?

As KerryS says, the Kopu bridge is a long single lane bridge on the outskirts of Thames which is notorious for traffic queues on public holiday weekends. Transit are planning to replace it - but not for a while yet.

Normally they have signs up saying what the delay is like - but the only alternative is a long route via Paeroa.

Dougie

[Bergita]

I didn't know that, thanks guys. Well, after lots of humming and hawing, we have decided to not have our first camping experience in the pouring rain. So we are staying home this week-end, having daughter's friends over for a sleepover instead. Call us big chickens but we like sunshine.

[xanctus]

me working...otherwise "No money, no Honey".
But have fun for the rest of members who is having a long weekend...enjoy while it lasts...hope the weather is nice!

[CJ22]

We're in Coromandel now, perversely heading back to Auckland this afternoon. Can recommend the riding at the Twin Oaks ranch (including the best private waterfall I've ever seen anywhere) and we're about to sample the Driving Creek railway, after having had the best seafood chowder evah in Coromandel Town. Nice place :) Bit breezy atm though, especially on the western coast.

[Sam B]

We're in Coromandel now, perversely heading back to Auckland this afternoon. Can recommend the riding at the Twin Oaks ranch (including the best private waterfall I've ever seen anywhere) and we're about to sample the Driving Creek railway, after having had the best seafood chowder evah in Coromandel Town. Nice place :) Bit breezy atm though, especially on the western coast.

Me and Jo Jo have been riding there twice - it's fab isn't it?

[Tia Maria]

I didn't know that, thanks guys. Well, after lots of humming and hawing, we have decided to not have our first camping experience in the pouring rain. So we are staying home this week-end, having daughter's friends over for a sleepover instead. Call us big chickens but we like sunshine.

Listening to the rain, thunder and lightning I think you made a wise choice! :)

Cheers

Tia

[CJ22]

Me and Jo Jo have been riding there twice - it's fab isn't it?

Certainly is.

The train turned out to be fabulously mental too. Daftest idea ever, but brilliant. Check out the Driving Creek Train - the history behind it is really interesting. I'll post some pics once I've had time to process them.