SPORT ON SUNDAY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5339, 15 October 1928, Page 4

SPORT ON SUNDAY.

OPLNIONS OF LAYMEN. MAJORITY IN FAVOUR. With the approach of sjummer lovers of spqrt and recreation are eagerly anticipating hours of happiness on the greensward with bat, racquet, a.nd: bowls. Many of them are keenly disappointed! at the decrease of summertime and the lost oppo>r.unity' to stimulate mind and body while the sun Chines. So great w ere the advantages off the extra hour tcs patronfe off the various £;ummer. games thM there is a strong pO|sibiKty of a reversion on tihe part qf a large section of players to Sunday sport, Some weeks ago several Hamil ton minr inters of various denomiinatiojns expressed divergent views on the visability of encouraging sport, on the Lord ? <s. Day. In view of the w j de public interest which would be) aroused 'if iapy movements were started in this direction citizens, representative off popular 'sports have been invited to outline their side of the question (says; the Waikato Times). Whole-ihqarted support to proposals to introduce Sunday tennis was given by Mr D. Seymour, president of the Hamilton Lawn .Tennis, Club. In cent years, he said, many private courts in Hamilton were 'always in use on So far as the public use of Hamilton Domain property was concerned, swimming, boating and golf had been recognized’ Sunday padtimes for some years. The tennis club cjGurtsj were, unfortunately situated in a prominent position, bffd while many players would welcome the opportunity of Sunday they were not unmindful o.f those; wiho found if difficult to countenance pastimes indulged in on this day in view of the main thoroughfares. “I think these conscientious, objectors Sff© diminishing anjd many of them realise the illogicality qf select-j ing a certain, pastime as an object of censure on the ground that the public have an opportunity to Icjok on,” he continued; “ Personally, I am inclined to think the exposure; to public gaze isi a safeguard rather than otherwise. The Hamilton club is planting. shelter plants rd.un|d the courts ,tC; meet, this complaint. Tennis had the advantage; of providing in a half-day sufficient athletic esercise for all but enthusiasts.” PUBLIC ATTITUDE CHANGING. Mr Seymour thought there had been, in recent years, a very marked change in the public attitude towards Sunday. What was the, rest of one person waisi intolerable boredom t® another, an,d ministers of religion realised that those who allowed recreation to kee[p them away from

church were not likely to attend more assiduously if their fojrm of reprehf tion were denied them. He welcomed the recent qtatem&qts made by local ministers, and while lie) sympathised with some of the objects which those who. had disapproved of Sunday sport had in mind lie had a strong, (impression that their resistance did little to advance; their, causes

Opposition to r.ecrea,tio,n on Sunday f,rqm the bowlers’ point of view was expressed by • Mr R. N. Pilkington, South Auckland delegate to ; th. e New Zealand Bowling Council. Being of a controversial nature, should one support the principle of Sunday play a large section of the community would at cipce jump to the conclusion, “there’s goes another that caffe's, nothing for his God and country 1” said Mr Pilkington. On the other, hand s.hould one condemn the sport on that day, the so-called sports would immediately say, “Only the opinion of a combined religious maniac and out-and-out wowser !” Not being an extremist.', Mr Pilkington said he could only judge what was be's,t for the people <a r s a whole. He wanted to know if Sunday sport enhanced the value of home life or exerted l an) uplifting effect o,n the ma's-ses either morally or spiritually. Sunday sport did not affect bowling clubs serD Ojusly. He believed he wa’s, within the .ma,r.k when he siud! 95 per ce;nt. of the clubs would not ajllow play and not three per cent. o ( f (club members played! on that day. UNDESIRABLE AND UNNECESSARY “Bowling on the Lord’s Day i'. neither necessary nor desirable;” con.cluded Mir Pilkington, “I hs.,ve no hesitation in saying, that if. an ‘attempt w,a r s made in this,. country tci adopt what is known as the) Continental Sunday every club throughout the length and breadth of the land would stamp out such a,n; innovar tion.” As a prominent churchma,n and popular, sport ing, figure, the opinon of Mr Douglas, Hay has a particular interest. Mr .Hay states that when he was young he wa'=| fortunate in having a mother who saw nothing ine'o.n|sjstent. in, going, to Sunday School and playing games, afterwards, 'sq long as the);; neighbours were not disturbed. Tenpis was banned because the lawn was alongside the road. “To-day I imagine there are still a large number who think it is wrong andl are annpyed by the sight of games, on the seventh day For this, reason most thoughtful people get their exe'rcises ip, ways and places where they don’t, offend their neighbours,” he said.. “Personally I lojok forward to the day when everyone will be able to enjoy 'outside exercise without protest from even a substantial minority.” Mr Hay said there was nqthing clqaner and healthier in, tihe pursuits of men than popular outdoor, sports.

He was referring to, individual exercise; big football and cricket matches, tennis competitions; and horse races* with their attendant crowds of spectators, wquld, he hoped, never come into vogue on New Zealand Sundays. Nor did lie tliipk a man calling himself a Christian, was quite playing the game if he ypent the day at. tennis or. gplf ;ajnd the evening at bridge. The Church gave him his Sunday, and be it ever so neglected it was and ever would be the in{fluenc,e in the land upon Which moat depended. Anyone who studied the conditions, qf the Church and the State in other lands would agree that, this wa,s sb to an extra'or.d!in|ary degree in the Dominion. The terms “ Chirstian ” and “ good sport” had come to mean much the s,ame thing. To his mind there wart a distinctiqn, and what society wanted were better sports among good Christian's and better Christians among “good sports.” Sundlay games would 1 then cease to worry us. GOLFERS NOT CONCERNED. Those in opposition tq sport on Sunday will probably ,a,<lmit that golf fe. the least, harmful of recreationsSpeaking a's a representative golfer, Mr G. Morpeth explained that most links were on the outskirts of a. .town and as. far frqm public g.aze as possible. Furthermore, to most golfers Sunday was, the only playing time of the week, for there wap little daylight on Saturday during, the winter. Ytoung men in; large towns working indoolr.fi during the week were far better off playing gqlf than reposing a.t home on Sundays. The Hamilcn club never allowed competitions on Sunday, and ties,from Saturday play were not continued the next day if either player had any scruples, on the matter. Games rarely drew crowds qf spectators* and' it was really a matter qf individual choice; whether a person indulged in the sport on Sunday.