Probably Trades and Labour Council in Christchurch, 1890s, Canterbury Trades and Labour Council records (MB14, Ref61). Macmillan Brown Library, Christchurch, New Zealand.
The establishment of Labour Day reflected the growing influences of New Zealand’s trade union movement in 1880s and its efforts to improve employment conditions for all workers.
The first Labour Day in New Zealand was celebrated on 28 October 1890 to mark Samuel Parnell, a carpenter who had won the eight-hour working day deal from his boss. In 1899, Labour Day was legislated as the first public holiday not associated with religion, royal birthdays or anniversaries of provincial settlement!
See more about this photograph, and explore our archive and art collections in our catalogue, Kā Kohika.
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