NIGHT HIKING NOW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 198, 22 August 1932, Page 8

NIGHT HIKING NOW.

LED BY A CLERGYMEN. VOGUE IN AUSTRALIA. CONTROVERSY CONTINUES. (From Our Own ;; • ■' ~ " SYDNEY, August^. The controversy over the merits-and disadvantages of hiking on Sunday has devoloped on a tremendous scale. Apart from those who are for "Sabbath observance" in its strictest form; ■ the chief opposition came at first from motorists, who object to the crowding of the highways with dense throngs of pedestrians at week-ends. Tne hikers, retorted that the motorists are mostly "road-hogs," and anyway this difficulty is easily remedied by taking the hikes off the main roads.

But more serious difficulties arose over the first hiking wedding. The Rev. N. C. Goss, of Croydon—his name' i* worth recording for the sake of jis moral courage—has been conducting religious services for the hikers, and he was quite prepared to marry those who desired his assistance, in the open air. In spite of the remonstrances of many worthy people this strange ceremonial was duly celebrated in the presence of 8000 spectators. This revived the controversy over tlie alleged desecration of Sunday in an acute form. The newspapers very little help to the doubters, merely indicating that people who do not feel strongly about that sort of thing would not mind it very much—a rather fatuous conclusion. But many of the clergy and the more conservative of the churchgoers have set their faces sternly against these extremely modern innovations, and they .have received support from an unexpected quarter. In Victoria, hiking has "caught on" wonderfully, and four couples applied to be married at one excursion a fortnight ago.' But the chairman of the Railway Commission protested, and finally refused to put on trains for the "hike" unless the marriage project was dropped. The heroism of this railway commisioner l has been vigorously eulogised by the orthodox, and a prominent clergyman in Melbourne has denounced hiking from the pulpit as "the ruination of the Sabbath."

But in Sydney there is no doubt about the vogue that has been attained by hiking, in conjunction with open-air ceremonials. A hiking baptism has been proposed, if a clergyman can be found to officiate. Moreover, from distant West Australia has come a suggestion which has been welcomed here with enthusiasm—hiking by night! I" Perth, it seems, a clergyman was detailed to lead the first "nocturnal ramble," which was confidently expected to be "home by 11 p.m." Here, the idea of night hiking combined with surfing seems to have opened up wonderful possibilities, but it is apparently being reserved for the "good old summer time," which is certainly not with us yet.

But so far as hiking itself, is concerned, it has "come to stay," and no doubt in the long run it will do a great deal more good than harm.