SALE OF PETROL ON SUNDAY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19153, 9 November 1927, Page 16

SALE OF PETROL ON SUNDAY.

DESECRATION OF SABBATH. OBJECTION BY PRESBYTERY. The desecration of the Sabbath by the sale of petrol, and the increased facilities for rail and motor travel on Sundays, were deplored by the Christchurch Presbytery at yesterday's meeting. Mr J. Tulloch said he could not see why the motor merchants should be allowed to carry on this traffio on the Lord's Day, when all other businesses had to be shut up. Why should the seller of motor oil be allowed to desecrate the Sabbath? "This has been discussed by the Mayor," Mr Tulloch continued!, "but i don't expect much of him. A few Sundays ago he went on a tour of inspection of the Cashmere Hills on a Sunday in company with Mr Ell. So we can't expect much from a man like that."

Mr Tulloch moved: "That the Presbytery views with alarm the .growing desecration of the Sabbath, particularly in the increased facilities for travelling on that day both by road and rail. The Presbytery protests against the continued sale of petrol on the Lord's Day and desires to draw the attention of the authorities to what seems a flouting of the law." The Rev. L. McMaster said it seemed to him it was very questionable whether they should interfere. Many of their own people went driving on Sundays. The Church's attitude should be positive and not negative, doing its work by persuasion not prohibition.

The Rev. R. M. Ryburn considered the law should be the same for all. He could not understand why petrol should be allowed to be offered for sale on Sundays and other things barred. People would have enough commonsense to get their petrol on Saturdays if the bowsers were closed on Sundays. The Rev. T. Patterson said that many people, especially in the country, filled their petrol tanks on the way to church. He did not think that this was desecration. The Rev. N. L. D. Webster said the Canterbury Automobile Association, without any sense of fairness, had discussed the matter and decided against interfering in the sale of petrol on Sundays. It had ■ been mentioned at that meeting that most of the employees desired the Sunday off, but the Automobilo Association had selfishly decided to leave things as they were. The responsibility was on the shoulders of the Automobile* Association. The motion was carried, with one or two dissentient voices.