SUNDAY CONCERTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 482, 15 April 1909, Page 6

SUNDAY CONCERTS.

COUNCIL OF CHURCHES ACTIVE. The Wellington Council of Churches has do» clared war upon the Sunday Concert, 6avo those which are held for charitable purposes, and it is leaving little undone to effect its ends. The council has sent the following lel> ter (signed by Mr. J. G. W. Aitken, president, and tho R<sv. Arthur Dewdney, secretary), to tho candidates for tho Mayoralty:— One of tho most cherished of tho customs of the British Race is that of the quiet Sunday, Tho quiet Sunday is tho great opportunity for homo and social life, !- for tho cultivation of ideals. Tho British peoplo wherever found and whether religions or irreligious, prize this institution. The laws of the nation aim at proventing Sunday work, so that the peoplo may rest. These laws are so far from being obsolete, that they havo been strengthened and extended in many parts of the world in recent years. In our city during tho regimo of tho retiring council, this custom has been infringed. Tho Town Hall has become the recognised placo for Sunday entertainments. Tho promoters of theso entertainments do as they please with tho gates, and havo very often broken tho bv-laws regulating snch entertainments. None of tho town halls of tho great Australian cities are used as ours is. None of tho leading towns of tho Dominion permit Sunday entertainments, except for purposes so carefully defined that in point of fact such entertainments aro almost. unknown. Wo submit that to open Sunday to tho publio entertainer is tho commencement of tho Continental Sunday, and will logically involve an over increasing army of Sunday workmen. The Archbishop of tlio Eoman Catholic Church, tho Bishop of the Church of England, tho Jewish ■ Rabbi, and tlio heads of all tho -.other churches in this city, together with a great mass of public opinion, havo . agreed on a solution of the Sunday entertainment'question, which they regard as temperate and sensible. We dosire to know whether you, as a candidate for civic honours, favour their suggestion, which is: That the City Council should prohibit all Sunday entertainments in halls under its jurisdiction, save such as are held for distinctly clmritixble purposes. Wo shall be glad of an early and we hopo a favourablo answer. Mr. P. M. B. Fisher, M.P., hss replied as follows:—"I regret I cannot see my way to comply with your request that tho Town Hall and all other halls under the council's jurisdiction should be closed nn Sundays except for entertainments held for charitable purposos. As I havo already said publicly, I don't agree with music-hall and biogroph entertainments on the Sunday, but I havo nn objection to good music of a sacred and elevating character. The programme should be submitted to tho council, which would, I presume, consult tho city organist, and there must bo a stipulation that every advertisement of a Sunday conoort should state that they are absolutely free. I am as much against tlio Continental Sunday as your council, but let mo point out that if you succeed in closing down tho Town Hall, you will not get five per cent, of tho Sunday concert-goers into tho churches, whilst you force hundreds of peoplo to spend their time less profitably than listening to good music.' I want to see a good, clean, healthy, vigorous Christian community, but I regret to havo to disbelieve that your proposal is a step in tho right direction." Mr. F. G. Bolton has forwarded tho following reply to tho Rov. A. Dcwdney, secretary of tho. Council of Churches, under date' April 8:— I am in receipt of your letter respecting tho uso of the Town Hall for Sunday enter, tainuionts. As stated in my first address, on Friday, April 2, at Tory Srtect, I am in fav. our of prohibiting Sunday entertainments in halls under the City Council's jurisdiction, except such entertainments. as aro piven for charitable purposes. I am also of opinion that tlio programmes of such entertainments should bo carefully supervised by tho Town Clerk boforo permission is given for the performance."