SUNDAY CONCERTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 490, 24 April 1909, Page 7

SUNDAY CONCERTS.

;replies;op.cjty cgijjrcii; canppates; ...'/.The following- replies liave' been, received by ;tlie:;sscretaryi.,of. the Qqunbil 'of..the' Churches ..(Rej;; : A; : powdney)'in'.response to a circular ■.rpqiiesting,: their ■viows-.on.tlio , holding of Sun-, ■dayxconcerts in 'tho'.Town.Hall.:— ~) '■''■''. ' : /'" ■ : :\ "In.,reply.' tiv your-: letter' of;-16tli.'. instant, , ' : : whicVonly;;reached;me' yesterday, I liavo to !;inforin;{yoii.'-tlint,J iifc(>^ted;,to?the)iCity.:Couh- . cili •I ! ehhll use ■'every, endeavour to. prohibit all .Sunday entertainments in halls undor its ijurisdiotion, safe, such'.as aro held for distinctly.'charitable , purposes. /Soliciting youi /Support and interests, with kind regards,' ;, : . :'. ! ..'■■■ 'Tours sincerely, .-.'■ } ::y" : %;-i : . :i v .,; : >■ "a, hume." ■ ,: "In answer to yours of the 21st., I may say that, I am in favour of keoping i tho Sabbath .Day. ono of rest. I am. not in favour of letting ;the.Town Hallon Sunday to persons who only use it for tho purpose of profit. I would not restrict its use only to charitable objeots. ■ I would be in favour of, say, such as organ re:citala if suitablo pieces were played, but I do object to a charge being demanded at the door. .IJAvould have tho collections taken in the building voluntary. I may say that I have not attended any of tho performances held at the Town Hall, as I have objected to the way they have been conducted aa to payments. ■• '/■':■:■.:■'■■■ "I am, yours sincerely, ft:; . ■ ■' , . "JOHN SMITH." .. "Beplying to your circular' letter of 16th inst., if re-elected to the oounoil I shall have much pleasure in doing what I can to have your/suggestion, 'That tho City Council shonld prohibit all Sunday entertainments in halls under its jurisdiction, save such as; are held ..for distinctly charitable purposes, , given clfoot to. I hold the opinion that working for profit on Sunday should,- .in oonforniity with the .traditions of the race and the Jaw of tho country, be as far■ as possible disallowed.. '. "..-' ..;.;...;.:■( "Y oUrs faithfully,' : : : ;,;■■;;. V: v -'- ' "& shirtclipfb." ~ "In reply to your letter of 14th inst., I. have always been against the use. of. tho Town Hall, or any other hall, for secular Sunday entertainments, and I shall do all in my powor, if re-elected to tho. City Council, to prohibit -the use of all halls under tho council's jurisdiction, save Buoli as are held for, distinctly charitable purposes. •-.". ■ ". . •'•'■■ ■ '"■ ,;; ; ; "I remain, yours faithfully, ,■'■■-• ;, "THOMAS BAUjINGERI "With reference-to your letter of the 14th. on tho question of /Sunday entertainnients,' I ,have to say ; that I am fully in favour of limiting i all Sunday entertainments; in halls under the: jurisdiction of. the City Council, to such as aro, held for charitable or altniistio; pur-pose,,-and. to prevent, such : entortainments as are 'run as, a matter of business for the profit of tho promoters. It is in accordancowith my labour.,principles tu seek for,'the elimination of Sunday work-as much as.posfible. . 'Tarn, sir, yours faithfully, .:'/,;: ,-■ .') :. ■• ■■'...:■ '; "D. M'LARBN.": "In reply to yours of the lGth., I beg to.state that I was brought up to respect the teachings of religion. I am ft member and attendant at St. Peter's Church. My seven 1 ohildrenhavo nil attended Sunday Sohool regularly. ' You may depend that should I be elected I will not favour anything which would, tend to destroy Sunday as a day of rest. ■ . v '--. .. "Yours.faithfully, : ,' ■..■.•: ■,'■:.' ■. ■'. -.;■ ■■; ■"■", ...• "Y;. JENSEN." [ ■

■ "I have much pleasure •in complying -rrith your request to give my opinion regarding.tlio letting of the Town Hall for Sunday concerts. I see no objection to holding sacred concerts in the building on Sundays, but I am strongly of opinion that this privilege should bo carefully regulated. , v.'.'rb my ' uilnd, it' is better that tho young people who would otherwise be patrolling the streets on Sunday nights should be able to Bccuro some more edifying form of entertainment. I object- to tho imposition of a definite charge at the door, but the prompters might .lie allowed to take a collection, as is <'done* in the churohes, and tho programme should be under the" control of tho city officials—A. : H. Fullford." "Hegardfng Sunday concerts, in:tho words of Josh BiUings, inquiry .stumps mo tho darndest.'rhoVmprei think ori'it the nioro i kanttell. : 'sA& •near; az i Kan rekplek now i thinlc.i dbn't'.kno. '.Much mite be'eed both ways, I .'arid'jneo.ther'i way*. bo'rite. ~ Upon' the whole, i rather reckon i ; wud i or i : wuddentjist az i "-thought'best or otherwise.' : -VPardon.; the plagiarism.—Wm;/E. Hampton,". ■".•.'■' ■'"''■* "I.haye to acknowledge receipt, of your lotter of lGth inSt.i' and beg to reply as tinder:—l am in favour of' the ■ Town Hall being used on Sunday evenings on tho following conditions: — (1) Conoerts not to commence earlier than 8.15 or 8.30 p.m.; (2) absolutely no charge to be made for admission; (3) programme .to be «p----proved of;by the-city's responsible.officer or a committee; (4) the hall not to bo let-on any account to any person.who to speculate in '■' Sunday concerts. Tours' faithfully, Jas. Dykes." ..* '■'■■::■ -.•■* -.' •'.- •'..-■.:• '■

. Mr. Albert H.,Casey has forwarded a lengthy statement. , as to' his attitude towards Sunday concerte,- of which space only permits ft bare summary here. .'Mr. Casey, deprecates, "the so-called Continental Sunday," but' thinks that the words "entertainments for distinctly charitable" .purposes'' 6hould ,tako a wider meaning .than that' whioh is evidently intended in the letter by the Council of Churches. In support of this, he'refers; .to certain cornUtiont) .of living, .obtaining." in\ Wellington, and (adds that certain peoplefcal'a want ;of something in tho nature 1 of; healthy arid, bright entertainment, In this light lie considers that the present Sunday entertainments arc for purposes "distinctly charitable," as doing good (whioh is charity in its widest definition) for the sections of the community to whom he refers. Hie reply continues:—Viewing, tho whole matter from these standpoints, I beg to stato that I am of: opinion- that' Sunday, entertainments should be allowed, but subject to tho following general provisions:—(a) .Preference to bo given by tho City Council to applications for. permission to hold Sunday entertainments in aid of distinctly chat-itablo purposes of the' kind favoured by the Council of Churohes. (b) Only sacred and high-class vocal and instrumental music to be permitted, (c) No specific charge for admission to be advertised or made or attempted to ibo. made at the doors, the bylaws in this regard to be fitriotly enforced.. A collection to bo allowed, but no .person ehall be restricted from entering any part of the. hall:if he.or.she.chooses' or desires to do oo without contributing anything towarde tho collection. ... (d) No entertainment to commence until, eay, 8.80 p.m.j so as not to interfere in any way with the attendance at church sorvices. (e) No reduction to bo made by the City Council for the use of the Town Hall,' except such as are promoted for the distinctly charitable purposes referred to in olauee (a).