Differing Views On “Boring” N.Z. Sundays

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29848, 14 June 1962, Page 2

Differing Views On “Boring” N.Z. Sundays

Many Christchurch residents do not find the New Zealand Sunday as boring and dull as some overseas visitors apparently do.

Some persons consulted yesterday agreed with criticism frequently heard about the lifelessness of New Zealand Sundays, but others referred to it as “an oasis.” Generally, they were in an older age-group.

One of the first questioned. Miss Mary McLean. Dominion president of the Pan Pacific and South-east Asia Women’s Association, and a Christchurch city councillor, •aid.emphatically: "No. I’m not bored with Sundays—never on Sunday.- I think it’s one of the most lovely things that happens in this world of ours. It is one of the principles, one of the foundations of our Christian civilisation and is most necessary. ’’Sunday is a day to take Stock of yourself, a time when once a week you can appreciate the beauty around, and find out what you are giving to the world. Sunday is a day for thought and refinement.” Mrs W. Grant, president of the Christchurch branch of the National Council of Women and Dominion president of the League of Mothers, was also in firm agreement. “No, I don’t find Sunday at all boring,” she said. “It seems to me that when people lead busy lives (or think they do) that Sunday comes as an oasis in the desert because it is a time to relax and meditate. I think this is absolutely necessary—to have that little bit of time to be quiet, to go out as a family group or to entertain one’s friends at home. Teen-age Problem

“But for a number of teenagers who do not find any interests at home to keep them occupied, I think Sunday must be an exceedingly boring day,” Mrs Grant said. “Thus I believe that the opening of picture theatres, provided they can present films of a good standard, is a step in the right direction There is no doubt that it is those young people left unoccupied in the streets who get themselves into the most trouble.

“I would considM' that there is a Idt to be done in this field—catering for teen-agers who show no interest in what their homes or other organisations have to offer them,” she said.

Mrs Mary Woodward, wife of a university lecturer, mother of four children and a well-known supporter of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said: “I think the New Zealand Sunday is a very pleasant day for people with families and for young people to go off on their sporting activities, but for others stranded in the town or for those without

sporting interests, there is not a great deal to do. “I suppose my family is like most others of a similar kind with young children. Our lives revolve around garden, children and house. Whether we go out usually depends on how many of the essential jobs we get done early in the day. “Of course, the children love to be taken out and in the summer are always begging to be taken to the beach. When at home there is always one of them knocking a football around outside while my husband gets on with the gardening, his photography, extra university work, and I go to my weekly church meeting or do other jobs around the house.” Thus the question of outside entertainment would rarely arise for such a family, according to Mrs Woodward. “I am still undecided about the whole question of whether there should be pictures and other attractions shown on Sundays,” she said. “For us the New Zealand Sunday is very pleasant as it is.” Other residents of Christ-

church also expressed some definite opinions. A young male Colombo Plan student at the university compared New Zealand attitudes towards Sunday with those of predominantly non-Christian Asian countries where Sunday is not a Sabbath day. Being the only complete day of rest in the week for most of the population, Sunday was regarded as more precious, he said. Thus sports activities, picnics, film shows, dancing and other entertainment were considered normal and desirable forms of Sunday recreation.

On coming to live in New Zealand, the Asian student at least needed to be prepared for the relative quietness of Sunday life here, he said. Especially for students who might be living in flats, or boarding houses, the day was “terribly dead,” with nothing to do but “stay at home or walk around the streets.” “Very Spoilt”

New Zealand people were “really very spoilt having two days’ holiday each week.” In fact, many of them seemed to spend their Sundays recovering from their various Saturday’s pursuits, he said. A young office worker recently returned from a short overseas trip was also in agreement "It's not so much the fact that there is nothing to do but the puritanical principle behind it. People in other Christian countries of the world still manage to fulfil their various religious obligations, while at the same time making the most of their Sunday leisure time. What is the matter with us here? Why do we confuse the issues and believe that it is wrong to find pleasure in the Sabbath?”