PROFITABLE use OF LEISURE

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21812, 18 June 1936, Page 7

PROFITABLE use OF LEISURE

PROBLEM created by SHORTER HOURS jUJUSTEB ADVISES OUTDOOR RECREATION gjaa Our Parliamentary Reporter] WELLINGTON, June 17. -j u -ar.i to prescribe no ccmpulgur.es: I v:l to surround all the means of recreation when fapy |jave the w.li to employ them,” * the Mir-istcr for Internal Affairs ■Jteßtm- V.', E. Parry , this evening discussing t..e means of gggp Joying the increased leisure is to come to workers under jj* Government s new industrial fcpUtion. Mr Pur;,- emphasised he wemhi rather encourage Xral to r„ad,::H.-:. : ade means Of recreation. "With machine;: u;>mg the work T w - ere invented tu do. there is for people to take proper recreation.” said Mr Parry, •ff machine regimentation is corpjgied by ind.vidual play, normal (auditions will be ours, in spite of jjg increased mechanical tempo of ear life. Because of this return to aonuai conditions, our industry will gajß rather than lose in spontaneity, jajUmive, and craftsmanship. ftaaks to science and the machine, da* day cf leisure has arrived. -The problem, of providing for the coioyitient by people or some of that jegjnr comes under my purview as pmietpr for Internal Affairs. I jhooid say that the best forms of and recreation are those viuefa encourage the greatest measae of personal initiative and creatme ability. We siiould pursue a phqr that will rescue, during the moments of leisure, the personal aatHiive and creative ability that St gradually and surely being swallowed up by the mechanisation of adastry. Democracy can only find i ale and permanent dwelling place a the minds of people who retain gust personal initiative and individuality. “I am not condemning the coming dto era of leisure through the iiaiinirtN — of our production and jgtribtitkm, but I am drawing atto the danger of our leisure aid recreation becoming mechanised -tilt i»gcr of our recreation being ■ale bf machines at the expense of the physique and health of our Outdoor Recreation

“I would rather see young men aoi women in their bathing cosfw playing leapfrog and tumbling oa the beaches than I ’would watch t §png machine tumbling about in uobatks in the air. daring and exfias it all is. I do not mean that r cannot enjoy both forms of retrartion, but to me it is much ** to see a crowd of young Mole with their packs on their Macs on a tramp over the hills than a nailer number of people bored MS with themselves, waiting for taneoae to come along and amuse MB.*

Mr Parry said he held strongly to the opinion that it would be better iar country people if there could be I revival of interest in the breeding, tnining, and owning of horses by a farmer and son as m the past. It would be better, too, for country people to have their own sport, such *» was provided by district picnic nee meetings, for instance, than to ittve. as was happening to-day, sons of fanners leaving their homes to concentrate m the cities, because of lack of sport and recreation in their awn neighbourhood.

To assist people to recreate their ®aßai and physical fibres, to recondition the human individual and fn* him from the perils and pains *f * too great industrial regimentation. the State must provide.” Mr P»ry said. ‘Tt is my duty to see tliat as our country comes of age“the CMectials of healthy open-air recreaare not handed over to private ■duopoly."