MIDNIGHT DANCES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 August 1938, Page 3

MIDNIGHT DANCES

STARTING AT TWELVE ‘ ON SUNDAY. DISCUSSION BY CHRISTCHURCH PRESBYTERY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) . CHRISTCHURCH, August 10. “You had a great time at other midnight dances,” said the Rev G. Whitelaw to members of the Christchurch Presbytery this morning. It must not be inferred, however, that members of the Presbytery had been sampling the night life of the city, for Mr Whitelaw was merely reading an advertisement for a dance which began at midnight last Sunday. “I think there should be some indication that it does not meet with universal approval,” said Mr Whitelaw, objecting to the practice of beginning dances at midnight on Sunday. He thought the Presbytery should write to the Scottish Society, in whose hall the dance was held, expressing surprise and regret that such proceedings were countenanced. He moved that the Presbytery send a communication to the rightful authorities, expressing surprise and regret that a dance should have been held in the city, and in the Scottish Hall of all places, on a Sunday night. “I don't see how we can object,” said the Rev Theo Paterson. “We have had twenty-four hours of Sunday and it is Monday morning."

Members remarked that such dances had been held before and it was pointed out that people going to them encroached on the Sabbath. It was also stated that the Scottish Society sublet the hall. "I know some young people who are encroaching on the Sabbath going home on Sunday mornings, even if dances are stopped at 11.30 p.m.” replied Mr Paterson, after a short discussion in which the opinion was expressed that, as the dance actually took place on Monday morning, the Presbytery could not very well object. The motion was lost on the voices.