SUNDAY GAMES.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 August 1922, Page 5

SUNDAY GAMES.

IN LONDON PARKS. A SOCIAL GRIEVANCE. London, June 25. A controversy has been raging for some time in London which broke out' over a request made to the London County Council to permit the playing of games in their parses and open spaces on a Sunday. That public authority has not yet given a decision in the matter, but the Daily Telegraph has now brought to an end an active discussion waged for some time in its columns. What is quite clearly set forth by this discussion is the new attitude of all Churches towards the question. The old Puritan view, while it still exists and is the opinion of a very active minority, is distinctly that of a minority, and while it exists there can be no question of anything like unrestricted use of our parks for games on Sunday.

The point of view that emerges most clearly is the very widespread opinion that present conditions virtually amount to one law for the rich and one for the poor. It is a plain fact to that the playing'of games on Sunday has become a settled social habit among vast numbers of “those who can afford it,” and who are not thereby prevented from attending places of worship in the morning or evening, as very many do, or from treating the day in other respects as one set apart. The poor are well aware of this very marked change in opinion and practice as to Sunday observance; :nd there must be very strong reasons indeed which are urged in favor of perpetuating such a factor of discontent and class feeling as this undoubtedly is. In the memorandum presented to the London County Council asking for facilities for games, it states: “Those who can afford it are at. liberty to spend Sunday : 'n peace and quiet if they are so or in playing golf or lawn tennis if they prefer it; the working classes have hitherto been refused the right to decide for themselves how they will spend their Sunday.” Among the many Anglican clergy who have been prominent in the discussion, Dean Inge has contributed a notable statement, in which he gives an interesting sketch of the history of Sunday throughout the Christian era, from which he draws the conclusion that “Sunday is a man-made institution,” and that *the Fourth Commandment has no direct bearing on Christian practice.” But he also lay® down that Sunday is a day on which, more than on others, “the health of our souls” should be in our thoughts; that “very many persons would be morally benefited by a stricter observance of the day,” and that “to abstain from those amusements' which are open to us on week days fe a good rule”; that “recreation is one of the objects of Sunday,” and that “the man who cannot play game® on ■fVeek days is quite justified in playing them on Sundays;” that “most people are the better for going to church once on Sundays.” The County Council, it should b® added, has so far forbidden games in the parks, but the Parks Committtee itself has reported in favor of game® on that day, and that committee is a municipal body which controls probably a larger number of public sports facilities than any in the world. It need be when the population to be served is seven millions, as great as that of Belgium. If. therefore, the London County Council give way to the demand that games should be permitted on Sunday, under suitable restrictions, in selected parts of the parks and open spaces of London, it will be a big thing.

[Later advice is that the London County Council has decided to permit games on Sunday, and thousands block the public parks from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. playing summer games.]