THE DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY AND SUNDAY TRAINS.

Evening Star, Issue 3380, 19 December 1873, Page 2

THE DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY AND SUNDAY TRAINS.

A deputation from the Dunedin Presbytery, consisting of the Revs. Dr Copland, Johnstone, M'Naughton, How, and Mr A. Rennie, waited upon the Superintendent and presented to his Honor the memorial against Sunday trains adopted by the Presbytery and published by us on the 3rd inst. The Rev. Dr Copland (after reading the memorial) said he desired to add a word or two in regard to the grounds upon which the Presbytery thought it their duty to take this step. It was as citizens who regarded the Sabbath trains as an infringement of the right, which has been recognised and protected by both the Imperial and local Legislatures. He need not detain his Honor's time by referring specially to those Acts, but referred, for example, to the Act of the Colonial Legislature—the Marine Actwhich provides for making regulations regulating the harbors of the Colony, and among which regulations was one now in force, which provides that no pilot should be compelled to take a vessel to sea on Sunday. This was one recognition on the part of the Colonial Legislature, and of course there was the Sunday Ordinance of the Provincial Legislature nowin force, to which he need not refer. This infringement they regarded as one for which' the citizens, as a whole were responsible, inasmuch as the railway was uow carried on under the control and authority of the Government representing them. On that ground they had felt it their duty to express their dissent from it. The extent tq- which labor was necessitated by this running of trains on |;he Sabbath Day vir tually deprived the employees, or most of them, of their clay qf rest. Ro doubt it might be said that those who are anxious might attend service on part of the day ; still it was generally found by experience that, when persons were required to follow their ordinary employment on a portion of the Sabbath Day, they had little inch nation for using the other portion for higher purposes, They further believed there was no necessity for running trains as uow followed—in fact, the arrangements appeared to indicate rather a desire to present inducement for and increase travelling on the Sabbath more than on any other day of the week, inasmuch as trains were run at a lower fare on Sunday. Further, they believed that the Executive had no authority from the Provincial Council for the arrangements now followed out. A resolution was passed in July, 1871, by the Council by a narrow majority of 20 to IS, which resolution required that provision should be made for one train at least on Sunday for the conveyance of her Majesty’s mails when required. Since that resolution was passed, the Post-otlice was entirely closed on the Sabbath, so that'the necessity which was then said to be provided for Was altogether removed. It appeared to the deputation very inconsistent in a new country like this, where so much consideration was paid to the short hours of labor during six days of the week, that there should be a systematic infringement of the seventh day on the part of any subject. It might bo said that the employed acted voluntarily in this matter; but j when they entered the service any yoluntari- I ness was taken away : they must carry out j their work of else leave the service, sq that it i

virtually limited this public service and any benefits it afforded to those seeking employment to those who were willing to give up their Sabbath rest. And lastly, this railway traffic had most naturally a tendency to load to traffic outside the railway on the part of private individuals—traffic that naturally extended to hotelkeepers, boatmen, &c., and ultimately to general business, such as was witnessed in many of the Continental cities of Europe. The right of Sabbath rest was so jealously guarded, that even the actions of private iudiduals, if carried on in public, were placed under interdict. For those and many other considerations, the deputation earnestly desired that their memorial should receive favorable consideration from his Honor and the Government.

The Rev. Mr Johnstone, as having had some experience of running Sunday trains to Port Chalmers, desired to add a word or two to what Dr Copland had said. He thought the Government required to protect them in the right keeping of the Sabbath. His experience of Sunday trains was that they caused serious injury to Port Chalmers. Thousands of holidayseekers came down and made the Port more like a common holiday than the Sabbath. It was due to the Port that no injury should he inflicted upon it, and that its inhabitants should not be prevented from keeping the Sabbath as they thought it ought to be kept. In so far as the trains tor works of necessity and mercy was concerned, lie personally did not object, but it was a very different thing from the Government sanctioning the running of trains regularly on the Sabb ith for the mere convenience of those who wished to enjoy the sea breezes.

Mr Rennie remembered the discussion in the Provincial Council on the subject of steamboats running on Sunday, on which occasion one of the arguments used in support of them running was that they would be the means of conveying a considerable portion of the riff-raff of Dunedin to the Port, thus clearing out Dunedin for the while, and allowing the citizens to enjoy the Sabbath. He did not insinuate that any such reason actuated the Government in running Sunday trains; at the same time Port Chalmeis, as Mr .Johnstone had explained, felt greatly grieved in the matter, and the sooner steps were r.aken to remedy the evil the better. A great deal had been written and spoken about a certain class in the City being unable to work six days in the week, and their time of labor had been reduced to five and a half days ; while the men employed on the railway were compelled to work seven. It could not be forgotten either that the others’ work only commenced at nine or ten in the morning ; while the railway servants commenced as early as six. He had seen a train running at that hour. While religious instruction in Government schools was ooing discussed, the Government was offering facilities to the young, which would in a great measure counteract all the religious instruction they obtained, The Rev. Mr Gow expressed his concurrence with the observations made by the previous speakers. He felt satisfied that the running of dunday trains encouraged steamers to come into Port Chalmers on the Lord’s Day, which was an infraction of the wishes of those who lesired to preserved the Lord’s Day in Port Chalmers. He held, moreover, that the railway being public property, all had aright in it, and lie did not think the Government entitled to use that public property for pleasure purposes against the wishes of a very large portion »f the community. He was quite satisfied, if die community were polled, a very large nnra>er of them would vote against running trains m the Sabbath. He pointed out, as an effect >f Sunday trains, which would sooner or later manifest itself, that it threw a temptation in die Way of the young to absent themselves from religious instruction. His Honor: All that I can say upon the subject of this petition is that it is undoubtedly a very important one, and I think I may venture to say that it will be treated as such by ray responsible advisers when placed before them. There is no gainsaying the fact that the question is surrounded with difficulties —diffioulties, I am afraid, of such an extent that, notwithstanding what Mr Gow has stated, in che present state of public opinion I doubt if the Government can give satisfactory effect to cbe prayer of the petition. Mr Gow has said if the community were polled it would be found that a vast majority would be against running trains on Sunday. I only hope it may be so ; out I confess I have grave doubts about it. Mr Johnstone: Port Chalmers would be almost unanimous. Dr. Copland : And the districts outside Dunedin. His Honor : I think the great evil of Sunday trains is that we systematically deprive the railway officials of what I would call the birthright >f every man—his day of rest. Speaking for nyaelf individually, I would not part with that birthright for all the gold in the world ; and I feel that it seems inconsistent to compel others to do so. However, if these views could ne made to pervade the community, I have no t oubt the thing would very soon settle itself. As it is, there will be some difficulty. As I said before, it is surrounded with practical difficulties, when you come to tackle it. I think some allusion was made to the views of the General Government on the matter. Now I have reason to believe, and I think I may say so publicly, so far as the Genera] Government are concerned, that had they anticipated this movement at the time this railway was leased to us, I have no doubt a clause would have been put in the lease to prevent us giving effect to the petition. Air Johnstone : To the extent to which it is carried ?

His Honor: Yes. However, I will bring the whole matter under the consideration of the Executive, but I think the chances are it will have to be discussed in the Provincial Council So far as my individual opinions are concerned, I have indicated them pretty clearly ; though perhaps I do not go to the same extent as some of you in regard to Sabbath rest, but looking at it from a political point of view, rest is as necessary to the body physical as to the body politic. Mr Johnstone thought Mr Vogel deserved very great gratitude for stopping work in the Post Office on Sunday. Dr. Copland mentioned that the Government doubtless made their arrangements from no other consideration than profit. Present arrangements had not been directly inaugurated by them. His Honor: We just took the railway as we found it. A statement was made that trains are run on Sundays at lower fares than on week days ; I was not aware of that. Dr. Copland assured his Honor it was so—--2s 6d on Sundays and 3s on week days. The deputation then withdrew.