The Age tells us that a record half a million Australians “chucked a sickie” today in order to have a four-day long weekend. I know several people who took today as a leave day but that’s not necessarily a “sickie” in my book. Of course there’s lots of tut-tutting by employers, designating such enterprising workers as “un-Australian bums” with “no concept of mateship or the Australian way”.
They should spare a thought for the Tradesmen of Sydney, who were asking the editor of the Sydney Herald to grant a holiday on Anniversary Day (now Australia Day) when it fell on a Tuesday in 1841- let alone angling for a long weekend!
HOLIDAY ON THE 26th.
To the Editor of the Sydney Herald.
Sir,- As next Tuesday is the Fifty-third Anniversary of the Colony, and will be kept a holiday by some, you would confer a great favour on many, if you would give the Tradesmen of Sydney, particularly the Chemists and Druggists a gentle hint in your widely circulated Paper to close their shops on that day, and to allow their so much confined assistants and apprentices a little recreation. I am Sir, for many,
Your’s very respectfully
A CONSTANT READER.
Saturday morning, Jan. 23 1841
The Resident Judge of Port Phillip 
And why the heck not, I ask, as they’d been celebrating the day since 1818!
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