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New Zealand Public Holidays
The Workers Reward

LABOUR DAY 4th Monday in October

New Zealand Public Holiday's celebrate an important day in October. Labour Day’s origins are traced back to the newly founded Wellington colony in 1840. In October of that year a workers' meeting passed a resolution supporting the idea that no workman should have to work more than 8 hours a day.


Women Get The Vote	Ballot Box Awaiting Voters	Maori Voters in Rotorua

In 1890 at the 50th Anniversary celebrations it was decided to hold the event annually in late October as either Labour Day or Eight-Hour Demonstration Day. In 1899 the New Zealand government passed legislation agreeing that the day would be a public holiday for the New Zealand population from 1900.

In 1910 the government decreed that the holiday would be observed on the same day throughout the nation: They chose Monday. Nowadays for the majority of New Zealanders it's "just another holiday"…

Out of Labour Day and the workers struggle came the vote for Women, the Maori vote and further political and voting changes over the decades since. It is just another holiday and of course a welcome one but the roots run deep.

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New Zealand Public HolidaysThe Workers Reward

New Zealand Public Holidays
The Workers Reward