SUNDAY TRAINS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 135, 12 June 1929, Page 10

SUNDAY TRAINS

CLERICAL PROTEST

SEVERE STRICTURES

DfPUTATION TO MINISTER

A further protest against the running of Sunday excursion trains was made, to the Minister of Railways (the Hon. W. B. Taverner) to-day by a deputation of thirty people, representing the Wellington Ministers' Association, the Anglican Clerical Association, and laymen. The Minister assured the deputation that its representations wou.d be considered in a proper manner.

' The Rev. J. E. Blanchara (Presbyterian Church), speaking on behalf of the Wellington Ministers' Association, and by special appointment' of'-. theGeneral Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, stated that the policy of the Government in. organising pleasure excursions on Sunday was not in the highest interests of the community as a whole. They noted with surprise and regret that, according to its chief publicity officer, the Railway v Department's attitude to Sunday was frankly a commercial one. '' Sunday," said Mr. Blanehard, "belongs not so much to the history of ecclesiastical institutions as to the history of religion itsolf. The principle it embodies.is part of primitive religion, andl is therefore grounded ia the nature of man. That principle has been'adapted and elevated by .Christianity/ and is consequently guarded by the Christian Church as a sacred possession and inviolable trust of the human race. By common assumption it is fo be regarded as a distinctive day, which distinetiveness requires—so universal' experience has taught—the safeguard of certain restrictions.' The distinctive principle which' Sunday embodies is that man is more than body; that he is also spirit. The day is thus the symbol of the spiritual and ideal aspects of life, reminding man of a threefold moral duty, the lovq of God, the love of his fellow-man, and a rightly-regulated love of self. These higher claims 1 do not automatically retain themselves in human life. Man has to nurture himself arid be nurtured in them. The education of his spirit is- a necessity. To meet that need, a set time is required in which man, along with his fellows, can give special attention to those higher claims and to the planting of their constraint in the life of his children. Sunday is the set time which has been provided for that -purpose. As these higher claims represent life's highest values, Sunday as a means- of pursuing them, has -a singular title to human recognition and respect. Thus the day is Tightly used when the chief emphasis is placed upon its broad religious significance. We make no overstatement when we say, that inattention to ■its place arid function in this respect is. no sign of breadth and vision, but rather of a narrow outlook, and of insensibility to the greater facts. Whereas the other- days of the week are given to organised commerce, business, and industry, to make their needed contribution to society, Sunday is the day given to organised religion, in the form of the, Christian Church, to provide tv-hat is also needed for th"c well-being of the community; the culture of the spiritual and ideal aspects of life. The '. means by which this is done aTe public ■worship- and the religious education of the child and* the youth. By the one, .man fulfils, the spiritual, element of .life in that recognition/of God which as His due, and receives that impulse to his spirit by which he is enabled to pursue life's higher ends; while by the other, he secures the transmission of ■ these spiritual values from generation to generation. ■ . THRUST AT NATIONAL WELFARE. ''It is obvious," continued Mr. Blanchard, "that a general departure in the community .from the high ends for ■which Sunday exists will result in a general loss to the community *o£ these, spiritual benefits which its right use imparts. With acute insight, that most! modern of modern thinkers, Spengler, has proclaimed the clear warning of history: 'All vital civilisations are religious; all static and declining civilisations are irreligious;' In more trenchant fashion, Dr. Hensley Henson, Bishop of .Durham, said in 1927: 'The secularisation of the Lord's Day portends spiri-tual-catastrophe of the utmost gravity, and; threatens the survival of Christianity among': us.' He reiterated this judgment in the Church Congress at Cheltenham in October of last year, when he said: 'We appear to be living on an,.inherited capital of Christian" morality which is steadily wasting. The Christian tradition must em English public life if cut off from faith . and worship.? Jn view of these things, we gravely maintain that any attitude, which suggests that -the high ends for /which Sunday exists need not be recognised; thrusts at the deepest welfare of the nation. That\ individuals add the influence of their private ■ example to such an attitude is injurious enough, for which they must a-ccept the responsibility.: But when such an attitude■: is given the sanction of the official policy of a responsible Government Department, and a public utility is diverted to "such^a purpose, the matter becomes one of the country's most serious issues. We are left with no option but-to interpret the Eailway Department's present pohcy of Sunday excursions in that light. It gives the sanction of the Government of this Dominion to the atti.tude that the higher claims for which Sunday stands need not be recognisedby energetically spending its resources m a definite endeavour to persuade as many as possible to spend Sunday in this, way, it seeks in effect the conversion of many to. that attitude, and the prevention .of others being converted from it.- We spe: > for a large body of people, who are not to be numbered ■among .ike least worthy of the citizens of the Dominion, when we say that this unauthorised misuse of our share in the .country's; transportation system is an offence, to us. All this we submit to - you most respectfully, Sir, believing r thaj ur vaew of- the high principles and c serious issues involved^ you will not permit your Department's present commercial conception of Sunday to continue."- - ■ -„ OPPORTUNITY FOB REST. .The P. Houghton, Wellington Clerical Association (Anglican), spoke of the institution of Sunday-as a day 1 of rest. There were many tendencies in present-day society encroaching upon the. period of needed rest resulting in a physical and mental strain that brought--many to their work on.Monday morning less fit physically and mentally than , when they left it at Saturday midday. I "Wartime'study of national physique and the immense extensions of our men- ; tal hospitals point to the urgent neees- : sity of guarding the nation's fitness," said Mr. Houghton. "For this reason ■ we urge that it is contrary to the national welfare for the Government to add the weight of its example to the I - forces restricting the opportunities for '■ rest.- In addition, the Government is the largest employer of labour, and as such it should endeavour to secure the day of rest for as many of its employees as possible and thus set the standard ; for all employers. As it represents the '■ State as well as being an employer, it •/'■ha*;it-'stronger hold upon its employees, '• and 'so should be correspondingly care■;.'fui;S4 to-what it demands from them,

There is certain work necessary to be done on Sunday for tho continued life of the community, but wo submit that the running of excursion trains, with the additional labour involved in the catering and kindred industries, does not come under this heading. The pro- j vision of a corresponding time off on other days, with "the additional pay given, does not really compensate for Sunday work, as the worker is unable to spend nis rest time with his family or friends, who will be working normal \ hours-—and he is cut off from the fam- j ily worship on Sunday." The Sunday rest did not. moan doing nothing, .but meant recreation in the full meaning of the word, the re-creation of the. whole man-—body, mind, and spirit. Sunday was not a possession won for itself by the present generation, but a gift given to it by the past to be held in trust for the-generations yet to be. The Government had done magnificent work in assisting in the recreation of body and mind, arid the deputation urged that at least it should not put obstables in the way of that recreation of the whole being of man, which was the purpose of the institution of Sunday as a day of rest. WHAT THE LAW SAYS. The Kov. E. D. Patchett (Methodist) said that the Government had a responsibility to set an example of good citizenship and to honour its own laws. "The law relating to Sunday observance, as laid down in section 4 of the Police Offences Amendment Act of 1924, is clearly framed with the intention of making illegal any work that cannot broadly come under the term ' work of necessity or charity.' Certainly the law never contemplated the idea of turning Sunday into a public holiday," said Mr. Patchett. "Confirmation of this view is found in the Anzac Day Amendment Act, 1921----22. The original Act reads: 'The 25th day. of April ia each year shall be known as.Anzae Day, and shall be observed throughout New Zealand as a public holiday.' The amendment deleted the words 'a public holiday' and substituted 'in all respects as if Anzac Day were a Sunday.' This proves that in the eyes of the law Sunday is notto be regarded as a holiday. Yet this is expressly what the Kailway Depart-. nient is seeking to make of it. We submit, sir, that this is an indefensible position for the Government to take up, and one that is subversive of good citizenship. Out of respect to the feelings of a large body of citizens the Government would hesitate to run excursion trains on Anzac Day, though, probably, as many citizens privately make it a day. of pleasure as there are who treat Sunday 'in the same way. We claim from the Government the same consideration for our views as is accorded to those; who revolt from the thought of treating Anzac Day as a holiday. The contribution that Sunday has made to national life and the commemoration for . which it stands lift it incomparably higher than even Anzae Day. Another point to be noted is that because, the railways are Stateowned they ought not to be- used in .such a . manner as to give offence to the conscience of a large and honourable: sec. tion of the public. We are^all in the position of shareholders in. Ijhe •railways, and we strongly object to our property being used in degrading from its high purpose this sacred institution. We do not ask nor expect the Government to take up a strongly partisan attitude on the question of Sunday observance. But we do expect that, as' the constituted authority of the- land, it will hold the balances evenly.and not seek by its tremendous influence, to undermine one of the noblest institutions upon which our Christian civilisation rests. THE RAILWAY FINANCES. "Traditionally the New Zealand Government stands for a high moral standard in the matter of Sunday ob-, servanee," remarked- :Mr. Patchett. "As late as 1925 J the then Minister of Railways,: replying: to a deputation in Dunediri, definitely promised that there would'be no extension of running of Sunday trains. We submit that the financial condition of the Railway Department should not be the deciding factor in a matter of such great moral importance. Yet this is evidently the crux of the'question as far as the De-partment-is concerned, for on loth April lastrMr.G.G. Stewart, in explaining the Department's policy, said: 'The Railway Department, by running Sunday excursions, is helping to put, the State's transportation business on a more satisfactory financial footing. That is practically the departmental at-' titude towards the business as a commercial concern.' We protest in thestrongest terms against the Government setting the-example of running a big business' concern on Sundays to bolster up'its finance. .. „'

""We; also desire, respectfully to pro-, test against the methods employed by the Department in seeking the patronage of the public for its Sunday excursions. In the past the Government has sought to excuse its policy under the specious plea of public demand. j The answer to that is found in the unprecedented propaganda resorted to in order to encourage a reluctant public to crowd the excursion trains. The Department did not scruple even to make an attempt' to use the public schools as a medium for the circulation of Sunday excursion handbills. They have carried out a most aggres-' sive publicity programme in the Press and through the broadcasting stations. Add to this the bait of sensationally cheap fares and you have affair estimate of the strength of the public deniand., . . These things force us reluctantly to the conclusion that the Department has set out deliberately on a course of throwing temptation in the way of the people, in order to create a demand for Sunday excursions. We, earnestly urge you, therefore, Mr. Taverner, as you commence your task as Minister of Railways, to give due consideration to our claim that a reversal of the policy of the Department on the question of Sunday excursions is due and overdue. We believe that the Parliamentary history of this country clearly shows that no politician nor political party losea prestige from taking high, moral ground on public questions such as we venture", with' confidence to urge you to take on this matter." THE MINISTER'S ATTITUDE. Replying to the deputation, the Minister said that representations on the matter had been placed before him in his own homo town of Dunedin, and in other places, but he had purposely withheld placing the matter before Cabinet until the present deputation had first of all seen him. He could not help but be impressed with what the deputation had said. On the other hand, the matter was one which must be regarded from a railway point of view in the same wayVas the; Department looked at other matters. He thought that some of the structures passed were rather, uncalled for. To suggest that the Department was out to commercialise Sunday and to do all it could to upset the ordinary way of treating the Sabbath, was placing a responsibility on the officers of his Department which they should not bo called upon to bear. Eegai'ding publicity through the schools, he was not aware until recently that it had been instituted, but he had had it stopped. The schools would not be made uso of in future. The. number of people carriod on special excursions last summer was 34,000, tho revenue being about £10,000. He was not prepared to say what thq net profit was. He .was sorry that he did not have the particulars of the'number of trains, but they were all well patronised according to his reports. It had been made clear to him by the departmental ofSeers concerned, that a demand for Sunday trains existed, and it was because of that that the service was instituted. He did not think I

that -he; could- say much more about the matter. Tho important aspect raised by the deputation as compared with the purely; domrffercial aspect of a State Department would riot' be overlooked. He recognised that there was a duty to regard the'matter in that light, and in that way he would recommend it to his colleagues. - The whole of the data in connection with the matter had been prepared and -was -available for the Government to deliberate upon. He thanked the deputation for placing its representations- before him, arid assured'them that the whole-matter would bo treated in a proper manner.