XN000022-1982-02-10 — Page 15

13

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1982

LONGER WEEKENDS

***

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY APPROVED A MOTION TO REGROUP CERTAIN GENERAL HOLIDAYS TO ENABLE THE PUBLIC PERIODICALLY TO ENJOY LONGER WEEKENDS.

KEGKOUPING FOLLOWS A REVIEW OF BOTH GENERAL AND STATUTORY HOLIDAYS CONDUCTED RECENTLY.

IN MOVING THE MOTION, THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES THE HON ERIC SAID THAT VIEWS HAD BEEN SOUGHT FROM EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES UNIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS, THE DISTRICT BOARDS, CITY DISTRICT COMMITTEES AND OTHER LOCAL ORGANISATIONS, AS WELL AS THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD.

+ACCORDINGLY, IT IS NOW PROPOSED THAT THE BIRTHDAY OF HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN SHOULD BE CELEBRATED ON THE SECOND SATURDAY IN JUNE, WHICH IS HER MAJESTY'S OFFICIAL BIRTHDAY, AND TO MOVE TO THE MONDAY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING, THE HOLIDAY NOW ENJOYED ON THE FIRST WEEKDAY IN JULY.

+ IT IS SIMILARI Y PROPOSED THAT THE HOLIDAY NOW ENJOYED ON THE FIRST MONDAY IN AUGUST SHOULD BE MOVED TO THE SATURDAY PRECEDING LIBERATION DAY WHICH IS CELEBRATED ON THE LAST MONDAY IN AUGUST,+ HE SAID.

WITH THESE CHANGES IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IN FUTURE TUEN NG FESTIVAL COULD FALL ON THE DAY ON WHICH HER MAJESTY'S BIRTHDAY IS KEPT, OR THE MONDAY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING. ARISES, THE GOVERNOR MAY ORDER THAT THE WEEK DAY IMMEDIATELY

WHEN THIS PRECEDING, OR FOLLOWING, BE OBSERVED AS THE GENERAL HOLIDAY OF TUEN NG FESTIVAL.

TURNING TO STATUTORY HOLIDAYS, MR HO SAID, +MANY WORKERS, ESPECIALLY WOMEN WORKERS PREFERRED TO HAVE THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL DAY, RATHER THAN THE DAY FOLLOWING, AS A STATUTORY HOLIDAY.+

IT IS THEREFORE PROVIDED THAT WHEN THE DAY FOLLOWING THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL FALLS ON A SUNDAY, THEN THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL DAY ITSELF WILL BE CELEBRATED AS A HOLIDAY, INSTEAD OF THE WEEK DAY NEXT FOLLOWING AS AT PRESENT.

+SIMI! RLY. IN A YEAR WHEN EITHER THE FIRST, SECOND OR THIRD DAY OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR FALLS ON A SUNDAY, THEN LUNAR NEW YEAR'S EVE WILL BECOME A HOLIDAY INSTEAD OF THE FOURTH DAY OF LUNAR NEW YEAR AS AT PRESENT.

+A BILL WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO COUNCIL LATER IN THE SESSION TO AMEND THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE

CHANGES OUTLINED IN REGARD TO THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL AND LUNAR NEW YEAR STATUTORY HOLIDAYS, AND TO ADD ONE ADDITIONAL FLOATING HOLIDAY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STATUTORY HOLIDAYS TO

A

11 DAYS EFFECT FROM 1983, + HE SAID.

¦

/GENERAL HOLIDAYS