WHAT TO DO ON SUNDAYS?

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 242, 12 October 1945, Page 4

WHAT TO DO ON SUNDAYS?

DEFORE reaffirming its refusal to grant permission for the screening of films on Sundays the City Council might Well have given close ; consideration to the change in social conditions which has taken place, and is still taking place, in our city. The large-scale and increasing observance of the five-day week has resulted, as intended, in the majority

of the people having two days' leisure in seven. What are they to do with it? Lccal authorities cannot fail to concern themselves with that question, nor can they satisfactorily deal.with it if their attitude to it is negative. Whatever the local authorities do, or fail to do, the people will find ways of using their leisure, but they will not necessarily be ways that are -socially desirable. It is fair to say that the City Council's attitude to the question is not entirely negative, for it also decided yesterday to give a small subsidy to band concerts, some of which presumably will be heard on Sundays. But this decision, which, incidentally, is inconsistent with the other, helps only a little. Not all people want to listen to bands; and some Sundays are wet. The city contains thousands of people whose lodgings are cramped and who, especially on Sundays, are bored to distraction. It is not helpful to say that they ought to know how to use their leisure, for the fact is that they do not. It is time the City Council and other local authorities took cognisance of that fact, and encouraged and fostered every movement that will enable people to refresh themselves at the week-end. Telling people what they cannot do is far from sufficient.