SUNDAY TRAMS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 59, 8 March 1912, Page 8

SUNDAY TRAMS.

SUGGESTED CHURCH-HOUR RUNXESG. STRONG AXD VIGOROUS PROTEST. A POLL NECESSARY. A large deputation of clergymen anc laymen representing several religious or ganisations and denominations waited or, the Oty Council Las might to protest verj emphatically against the Tramway Com pany's application for the taking of a poll to determine whether or not tram cars be allowed to run in the future dur ing church hours. The Mayor pointed out that under th« Act it seemed that the Council could no) deal with the question without taking a poll. The Rev. Mr .lolly expressed the opinion on behalf of the depu'ltion that the interference with Divine worship would be almost intolerable; in fact, th« churches in the city or Auckland were peculiarly unfortunately situated so far as interruptions from passing tramears were concerned, and. to add to the interference with Divine worship, the cars were much noisier than Were those of other parts of the Dominion. They pleaded the sacred character of the duty in which they were engaged. Surely excursionists and others who moved about could choose an hour other than when Divine sen-ice was in progress for their ear riding:. He earnestly trusted that consideration would be given to those engaged in discharging sacred obligations. Mr T. Peacock, in supporting the request of the last speaker, expressed the hope that the Council would make it its business to see that public worship was

not interrupted in the way threatened I by the running of tramcars during the church hours. Another speaker declared that the tram I service in Auckland already extended | over a greater number of hoars than did those of any other centre. The Ven. Archdeacon Calder. speaking for the United Churches' Association, said I that the protest now being preferred was j more of a laymen's protest even than one from the ciergy. He thought it looked as if the company did not want to p*y ! a moLorman and conductor for sitting still in a car when th«y might be earning dividends. Mr C. J. Tunks warmly supported the protest. As superintendent of St. Sepulchre's Sunday-school he could assert that while the cars were passing it was absolutely impossible to hear a speaker. Such inroads on the Stabbath and ita duties as would take plaoe with the running of the cars should not, he thought, be allowed. The Mayor explained that in 1903 a poll was taken, and resulted in favour of an all-day Sunday service, but later in the yenr the Tramway Company wrote undertaking not to run cars during church hours. But it stipulated that if, after a lapse of 12 months, the Company found the necessary money, it, would be obligatory on the Council to take a poll to decide whether or not cars should be run throughout Sunday evening. This. it appeared, had been agreed to, so that the Council had no option but to take | the poll if the Company found the ! money. He assured the deputation, however, that every inquiry should first be made, and the interests of churchgoers protected as far as possible. He pointed out that the letter appeared to refer only to the running of a service in the evening on a poll being favourable. Nothing was said about a morning service, which seemed therefore to rest rn the control of the Council.

The deputation thereupon withdrew, and the question was allowed to drop until later on in the meeting, when the application of the Company for the right to run a continuous Sunday service waa referred back to the Electric Committee.