SUNDAY SPORT

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 58, 6 September 1934, Page 13

SUNDAY SPORT

FAVOURED BY BISHOP

AUSTRALIAN CONTROVERSY

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, August 30.

Before very long the question of permitting organised Sunday sport is likely to become a burning one in Australia. The growth, of Sunday sport in New South Wales has already caused grave concern among those people inside and outside the Church who have no desire to see the Sabbath desecrated in. any way. In the country district football and cricket matchos on Sunday between teams representing rival towns have become recognised things, and all efforts to stop them have been in vain. The churches have been particularly loud in their protests, and many a country municipal election has been fought on the issue. Strange as it may seem, the advocates of a quiet Sunday have failed all along the line, and special trains are frequently run. for • the convenience of teams and their supportrs. On a recent Sunday a special train arrived at one country town with moro than 800' passengers to witness a football match on a Sunday afternoon. The question of permitting municipal grounds to be used on Sunday for organised sports provides a hardy annual for most of the councils, and before the topic is due for discussion the various parties organise very thoroughly. Most of the decisions are made in favour of Sunday sport, but not before there have been many heated discussions. There are some who think that the question is becoming one of national importance—a question _ upon I which the Government should legislate. Naturally the churches press for a total abolition of Sunday sport, but it is doubtful whether the Government would give them their own way and so go against very solid public opinion. Tho advocates fo| Sunday sport have found a new champion in Archbishop Wand, who has just arrived from England to become leader of the Anglican Church in Queensland and, incidentally, leader of Soccer football in that State. Dr. Wand is a keen sportsman He agrees with health-building sport on Sunday, providing it is' not worshipped. He thinks every man should attend church once during, bunday but does not expect people to spend the wholo day inside a place of worship. He thinks that healthy recreation, provided it is not noisy, and does not destroy tho quiet of the Sabbath is probably better for the young people than some of the books they might read if they were not allowed to play. Archbishop Wand said that modern youth impressed him. Young people today were alive and inquiring. They •n-ere determined to examine things from their foundations. That was good for the-future generation.