BOWLING PROHIBITED ON ANZAC DAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3047, 12 June 1926, Page 2

BOWLING PROHIBITED ON ANZAC DAY.

VISITORS NOT ADMITTED ON SUNDAYS. WARM DEBATE BY LOCAL BOWLERS. At Thursday’s annual meeting of the local Bowling Club, the Rev. W. IT. Walton (retiring president) moved that, in accordance with the wishes of tlie New Zealand Government and the Returned Soldiers of this country, the Fox ton Bowling Club prohibits all play on the green on Anzac Day and that no visitors from outside clubs be invited on Sundays. In supoprt of his motion, he said that the Club should know where it stood in respect to the above. Anzac Day should be regarded as u sacred day and all other greens were closed on that day out of respect to the memory of those who had lost sons in the Great War. He attributed the reason for the indifference in play at the local green to the fact that a number of members of the Club did not approve of Sunday play. They should act according to their conscience: some people hadn’t any. There were verv few dubs in existence who invited outsiders to their greens on Sundays. Those members who did not play on Sunday were pushed out and the green was being run by the experts. Mr Christie: This is out of order. Mr. Chairman. The Chairman: It is a matter that should he dealt with by all. Mr. Walker: I’ll second the motion. Mir. Bryant considered that a quiet game of howls on Sunday did no harm at all. lie would support, the motion, however, Mr. Barr said that 12 or 13 years ego the (pieslion of Sunday play had been a hone of contention. The matter had been thrashed out then and had had the desired effect. It had now cropped up again, however, and assumed larger proportions. Personally he did not favour Sunday play. Air. Woods said he was of the same opinion as Air. Bryant.

Mr. Winstanlcy said lie was one of the culprits who had played bowls on Anzac Day. lie did not consider there was any harm in it. He had lost a brother during the war and had paid his respects to him by attending the Anzac Service and as an old soldier lie felt that the military idea was the correct one —when they laid a comrade to icst, they played all the martial airs and invigorating music they could on returning home, simply because they knew that they had placed him at rest and away from all wordly troubles. He supported Sunday play and would vote against the motion. Mr. Christie said that there was no harm in Sunday play. In one portion of America statistics showed that. 8,000 people patronised the church on Sunday while 80,000 attended sports of various kinds. The churches would all be closed up long before sport on Sunday was prohibited. Rev. Walton said that the figures quoted by Mr. Christie may lie coiled and they may not. The church had carried on for thousands of years now and would never be replaced by sports. Air. Winstanlcy: What about Good Friday? Rev. Walton said bis motion did not refer to Good Friday.

The Chairman: That is getting away from the point, gentlemen, chairman said he would heartily support the motion. Rev. Walton in replying, said Ilia I peace time conditions could not ho likened to those pertaining in war time. During war those in command had to consider the psychological aspect of the men whom they had to encourage and hearten up. The returned soldiers throughout New Zealand had requested that Anzn<- Day should be kept sacred in memory of their dead comrades, and surely their wishes should he adhered to. Ilis motion was merely a policy to help the Club, lie knew of two or three citizens who would join up with the Club if Sunda v play was cut out. He would like to point out that bis motion did not debar Sunday play, however. The motion was then put and declared carried son the voices by the chairman. Mr. Rangiheuea : I challenge that decision, Mr. Chairman. The Chairman: I'll ask for a show of hand's then. Mr Admore: You will be causing trouble if you do. This will have the effect of splitting the Club up into two sections. The Chairman said that he would use his prerogative. He would ask for all those agonist the motion to show their hands. He had been reading this question up and was quite rigid in Ids decision. Considerable discussion arose, as n result of which Mr. Rangiheuea, in the interests of the Club, withdrew his challenge and the motion wits declared carried.