In the year 1981 there will less. evidence to support the old contention that Shanghai has too many so-called "Bank" holidays. There are certain long-established festivals and genuine Bank holidays which it is generally conceded should be recognized, and there are 1 few other settlement or reckoning days on which the Banks consider essential to close their doors to sgenoral business, though their own fete we very hard at work, and stem" in Shanghai has feowexad these days ae public hal days. There are also certain fes-rivals only very faintly calling for public holidays which again "clo custom" hag seized upon as further jexeuses for dropping work.
The agitation against this wealth of holidays, in addition, of course, to anything from a fortnight to month or more allowed by practic-Jolly all firms for their employees' annual holidays, has been growing fu recent years and now something, tangible has been done to reduce the list. Last year the official "Bank holidays" numbered eighteen, in addition to which there were six days during the Shanghai Race Club's Spring and Autumn Meet-inge, when by far the majority of firms either closed their offices entirely from 11 am. or noon, or else allowed a large percentage of their employees leave for the day, and a not inconsiderable number boldly kept the shutters down for the entire period.
An official notification of the holidays to. be observed next year lby the foreign exchange banks and the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce, recently issued, again allowed eighteen days, these corresponding exactly to those of the current year, name)
New Year, Tharaday and Friday, tay, and Eviay. Febranry, sy, April'3, 4 and 6 it-Monday. Monday, May' 2 Dragon Best' Festival, Saturda September 25 Anniversary of he) Chinese Re.
Sfiarday. October 10 Brides) and. Satrda December 25 and 20
This, however, is not the end of the story. It is known that prominent, members of the Shanghai British Chamber of Commerce for some time have been seriously agitated on this matter of public holidays and, ce-operative arrangements between the responsible bodies having apparently failed, the Chamber has: [published its own list, which reduces. the munter for next year to thirteen, namely: Days, New Year, January 1 ess Spring Festival (China New Year)
Pabruary Hi, 18 ahd 38
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.