NO TIME FOR CHURCH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 140, 12 June 1912, Page 8

NO TIME FOR CHURCH.

POLICE AND SUNDAY DUTY.

A PRESBYTERIAN PROTEST

The isolation of religiously-inclined policemen from attendance at church services because of excessive Sunday duty, formed the subject of an indignantlyworded protest by the Religious and Morals Committee of the Auckland Pres■bytery at last night's meeting of the latter body. The committee recommended, "That the Presbytery communicate with the Minister for* Justice so as to secure as large a measure as possible of Sunday rest for policemen." A resolution for the adoption of the recommendation was placed before the meeting, the mover declaring that to his knowledge (policemen in Auckland had been called on to do duty for as many as seven Sundays in succession. The result was that any members of the force who desired to attend public worship -were absolutely unable to go to church at all. While the committee recognised the necessity for policemen to do a share of Sunday duty, it was felt that they 3hould be free at least every second- Suaday so as to exercise their privilege of •church worship. The Moderator (Rev. Jas. Milne) asked if the committee could get members of the force to support the allegations of excessive Sunday duty. The mover (indignantly): I have placed positive information before the Presbytery, but I am not going to give the names of policemen who might be brought before their superior officers and placed under (prejudice for having stated faest. (Hear, hear.) Another member of the Presbytery queried whether the police were not on a similar footing with tramway men in regard to Sunday duty. The mover replied that the police service "was of the people, whereas the Tramway Company was a privately conducted eon-cern. General discussion ensued as to the advisability of suspending action until further information could be obtained. It was generally conceded that if the facts were as stated the Presbytery were not only within their right but were called upon to protect public servants in connection with whom they were under a responsibility. It was deemed wiser, however, to hold the matter over until the next ordinary meeting of the Presbytery.