SUNDAY PARADES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17281, 23 September 1916, Page 13

SUNDAY PARADES.

DRAWING BOYS FROM CHURCH. PROTEST TO COLONEL CHAFFEY. SOME SPIRITED TALK. Somo lively speaking; occurred yesterday when a deputation from the Church of England Men's Society and Christchureh Clerical Society waited on Colonel Chaffey, officer commanding the- Canterbury district, to protest against the- holding of Sunday parades for Cadets. Dean Carrington said that Bishop Julius would have been present, buc that ho was away from town. . They wanted to know if it was a matter of necessity that Cadet paraa.es should he held on Sunday. Many boys belonged to Sunday schools and choirs and guilds, and the clergy were trying to toach them that they should attond to theso matters, and tho boys wanted to attend, but they received notice- of a voluntary parade, and they were at once in a difficulty, because to many boys it was a greater duty to .attend a voluntary parade. Xsfc Colonel Chaffey said that no Sunday Cadet parade had boon iw dereel since he had been in command except for one Sunday route march last summer, and that was purely voluntary. The only assembly lie knew of was a communication drill parade, m tho park, and if was purely voluntary. Tho Cadet Baud had paraded on two Sundays prior to going to Timaru. No compulsory parades could bo held on Sunday. NO COMPULSORY DRILLS ON SUNDAY. Mr J. C. Adams said that tho matter had come under his notice, and ho had been instructed to make inquiries to bo sure of his ground. From Captain Northcoto he had learned that drills had been taken on Sundays indefinitely, and had been entirely voluntary. They consisted of marching out to the hills or elsewhere. They woro not regularly called, and one had been called to get a photograph of as many boys as possible. Less voluntary drills were to bo taken in future. He was correct in all these statements, and l\p knew that there had been more than one or two parades. "I absolutely deny that any parades have been ordered," said Colonel Chaffey. Mr Adams said that parades could be *'invited," and if these parades could bo called it was a matter for those in authority tp say whether or not they were to bo encouraged. It was the thin end of the wedge, and would destroy Sunday observance. The Church of 'England' Men's Society desired that voluntary parades should be absolutely discountenanced. Ho had been told that Now Zealand •"Bpldiers were fighting on Sundays, but in the case of boys of eighteen, who had two years before they could bo called up. thero was n« reason why they should, be encouraged in Sabbath breaking.

" WHAT IS THE CHURCH DOING?" Colonel Chaffey interposed that the military age was twenty at present, hut.it might be lowered, at- any time Colonel Chaffey, continuing said that he was a member of the Anglican Offtirch and had been in the Volunteers for thirty-eight years, and he had come to the conclusion that unless the churches could offer some better inducement to tho boys to employ their Sundays than, they had offered, and were offering, it was .bettor for thr community and tho boys themselves that they should bo taught patriotism and discipline and everything that pertained to them under the auspices ot tho Defence Department, which was doing its best to help the churches to make better citizens. Ho asked the Church of England what it was doing to tako the boys to church on Sundays. The boys were asked on a particular parade, before they were allowed to volunteer, what thoy were going to do on Sunday, and they said: "Mesa about, or lio in b<id." Which was tho better, to inculcate patriotism and discipline on tho parade ground, or let them loaf about and play " twoup" on Sundays? He could not say that his sympathies lay with the Church in tho matter. It was doing nothing. Tho only chance was for the churches to go to tho parades and get a grip of the boys. But the Church never came near thorn. -' Mr Adams: Pardon me. y . Colonel Chaffey: O'n Sundays? Mr Adams: Not on Sundays, for then tho clergyman has his time fully occupied. C.D.C. SUNDAY PARADES. Colonel Chaffey: Tho parson who brought mo up taught me to play cricket on Sunday afternoon, and he. was right. Why don't you go to tho Citizens' Defence Corps to stop their Sunday morning parades in the Park? The fathers go, and why should not the boys? The fathers will play Sunday gorf all the same. Mr Adams: That is absolutely beside the point. We ask you, being in authority, to do what you can to discountenance the breach of tho Sabbath. Wo 1 do not ask you what other people are doing. On Sundays the services are there, and we try to attract the boys to Sunday school and Bible classes. Colonel Chaffey: How many boys between seventeen and eighteen go to Sunday schools?

Mr Adams: Very few, I admit. But gradually wo. get hold of one and another. The question is not how we are going to get them, but rather the action that the Defence Department is taking (evidently tho voluntary parades ara inspired)Colonel Chaffey: I never knew until this morning that tho parades were bald.

Mr Adams: Tho l>efencc department lias its six days, and could leave out tho seventh day. Every Cadet lias one compulsory drill a week. Mr H. M. Bannehr said that tho deputation desired to see n due. observance of tho Lord's Day. It there were voluntary parades tho boys would attend them. It was a mighty hard thing for a boy on Saturday afternoon to stand up before the other boys and say ho was going to Sunday school on tho following day. Colonel Chaffey would like to see all the boys at Sunday school. Colonel' Chaffey : Quite right. Mr Bannehr: Then you should place no obstacles in tho way. We don't como hero as long-faced Christians Colonel Chaffey: I.thought you were not, bat from Mr Adams's remarks * thought you were DRILL BETTER THAN "TWO-UP." Mr Bannehr: "Wo want the boys at church—-—' Colonol Chaffey: It is bettor to get parados on Sunday afternoon, instead of letting them play two-up, when you have no means of stoppiug. Colonel Chaffey added that he would try to discourage voluntary parados during church hours. Ho would give instructions accordingly, but supposing that there was going to be a big march out over the hills onco a year, ho was not going to try. to stop them. Mr Adams asked whether in such circumstances Colonol Chaffey would allow a representative of the churches to address the boys on Christianity and their duty to God. " Certainly," said Colonel Chaffey. "Have I over refused it?" He added that the deputation had discovered a mare's nest. Xtr? tyw P. P. Haggitt said thai

while Colonel Chaffey might be out to assist the churches, the greatest horrors of the war woro due to the absonce of Sunday observance. , Britain owed much to* Sunday, observance and tfc<# Bible. I Colonel Chaffey said that tho military training system inculcated discipline, by which tho church was being helped to create better citizens. He repeated that he would discourage tho parados in church hours, but he could not stop twontv hoys going out voluntarily into a paddock' and calling out the words of command. THE DEAN AND SUNDAY CRICKET. Dean Carrington said that he did not- agree with Colonel Chaffey. Tht> clergy were doing their level best. Both sides understood one another, and must pull together. Ho had no objection to cricket on Sunday afternoons, but ho did not want to see tho members of choirs and guilds challenged to go to voluntary parades, with tho alternative of being called shirkers. The deputation thanked Colonel Chaffey and withdrew.