SUNDAY FOOTBALL.

Shannon News, 18 June 1929, Page 2

SUNDAY FOOTBALL.

MANY PROTESTS FROM SHANNON

(To the Editor)

Sir, —In reading the report of the last meeting of the Shannon Borough Council I could not help feeling a sense of disgust at the attitude taken up by'the majority of our representatives in the matter of organised football on Sundays in ithe recreation ground. Now sir, the ministers concerned were most moderate in their lequest. They asked only for the stopping of “organised” football matches. Not even football practice on Sunday was to be stopped. And there was the unseemly behaviour after a certain match which could not be denied by those opposing the motion. , Nowllet us take separately the views of each councillor. Both Councillor Hyde and Councillor Thwaites are to be commended on their fearless attitude; and the long suffering public of Shaun'on', the big .majority of ratepayers and others ’ now know - that they can depend at least on these two gentlemen to do the right thing and refuse to be influenced by a few rowdy footballers. Councillor Curran jum, supports Sunday football. He does not consider the feelings of the hundreds of people living in the vicinity of the recreation grounds. Cr. Anderson said the Domain Avas for the people. He should have said if Avas monopolised on Saturdays and Sundays for footballers. Other people have not' a chance. It is no place for \A r omen and children on Sundays. Cr. Doavucs merely corrects a statement about the hat being held for a collection; he denies that bad language is used on Sundays. Perhaps even footballers have a conscience about desecrating Sunday Avith baa language; but lie acknoAvledged the fact that bad language Avas often used at Aveek night practices. Cr. Hook Avas really afraid to take a definite a-Icaa*. He compromised as it Avere; sat on the fence; Avas not in favour of organized games Avith outside teams but A r oted Avith the crowd. Cr. Hook is a man from Avhoni Shannon expected better things, but in Avhom bis supporters are greatly disappointed. Cr. Anderson had a good deal more to say. He suggested stopping tennis and golf, both quiet; games, Avhich give offence to no one, and furthermore golf is played two miles outside the toAvn. If football Avas played two miles away from'the centre of the borough there Avould net be many complaints. Cr. Laurvig, who Avas also at the meeting, eA'idently thought it safest to say nothing, but voted Avith the eroAvd for noisy Sundays. A man of his Avorth and high ideals is surely a disappointment to the A'ast majority of ratepayers in this town. We Avould expect him, at least to be above this sort of thing. And last of all, but not least, our Mayor Avho is expected to support everything that is noble and condemn all that is base or degrading does not commit, himself either Avay. Playing safe is alright as long as it does not call doAVn upon one’s oavii head the Avrath.of the multitude. No doubt avg will find him in future patronising these Sunday football matches, Avhich he, by his non-committal attitude has helped to encourage; Avhile the Avomen ■and children Avander about the roads for Avant of a better place in Avhich to spend a pleasant Sunday afternoon. — Yours etc., RATEPAYER.

“LETTING THINGS BE.”

(To the Editor)

Dear Sir, —Sunday football seems to have been treated by our councillors in a half-hearted sort of avliv. Thby seem afraid to tackle the question. “'Let things be,” seems to - be their motto. Why are they afraid to stop Sunday organised matches When the facts of the matter demand this step? I Avant to knoAV.

I. give the following sound reasons for the stopping of such Sunday matches in the Domain. Each of them, I consider it alone quite sufficient to justify the abolition. (1) The children, coming from Sunday Schools, go to the grounds, and hear the improper language, besides growing up to the idea of Sunday football being a regular thing. (2) The functions, which usually follow such matches, generally display manhood which is more like “pighood,’’ besides making very unwelcome and objectionable disturbances in the neighbourhood on what would otherwise be a peaceful Sunday evening.

(3) Such things would soon become a general occurrence, a fact which the police at least would deplore. The bad moral effect, is undeniable. Sunday as a day of rest, or spiritual uplift, is absolutely and fundamentally necessary.

'(4) Sunday must be kept as a day apart. To the purely business-man, Sunday is a day of rest from the toil and bustle of a busy world. To the religious man, it is all this and a clay of spiritual uplift as well. N 0 one* has a right to interfere with these men (and, I venture to say, they form the majority) in their ways of spending Sunday. Organised Sunday football is interfering.

I trust that our Council will not continue to let things be. A council which is a mere reflection of the backward opinion of a few people who are quite thoughtless of others, is not .worthy its name. The Council must represent the views of the moderate section of the Borough—not the careless, nor the 100-restrictive, but the moderate people. We say that Sunday organised football must go. We .refuse to allow' Shannon to decline morally as well as numerically. Yours, etc., COMMON SENSE.