RACING AND THE CHURCH

Evening Star, Issue 15433, 5 March 1914, Page 6

RACING AND THE CHURCH

POitlLN'U PARSOX CALLED iO

BOOK. On Sunday the Rev. Jasper CalJtr, a young clergyman, who is vvcii Known in Auckland as the sporting jdueoa, delivered a special address to sporting men at, Grey Lynn, a summary ot which appeared in oar yesterday's issue. Horse racing, tne preacher said, had come to stay. and he thought it would be better for the Church to aoc-ept that fact a.r.d to endeavor to make the sport a good, clean one, than to display antagonism towards it, whirii would only alienate the sympathy of the large body of perfectly reputable men connected with the sport. This address was considered at a meeting of the Diocesan Social Questions Commission, when the following resolution was passed unanimously:—" That this commission regret and strongly disapprove of the pulpit utterances of the Rev. Jas. Calder (as reported in the Press) on the betting evil." Interviewed, Mr Calder was reluctant to make any reply to the commission, which, he said was doing much excellent and useful work. " But as regards the gambling evil and racing generally." said Mr Calder, " the voice of the commission seems _lo show an entirely one-sided view. I believe I have had'enoogh experience of racing myself to give both sides ( of the question. "Until one can do this or*e is bonnd to find a difficulty in gaining the sympathy 0 f t.Vu> .M*M:t;>itr man in oik's eft.-»»*«-