Sunday Sport and Concerts

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 September 1946, Page 2

Sunday Sport and Concerts

[TO THE EDITOR.] Sir. —Although somewhat late, may I reply briefly to “Coast for the Coasters.” He says I am not a Coaster, but I have been here only for about 58 years. I agree that the hospitality of the Coast people is known worldwide, but we are fast losing that good name by the domination and regimentation of a few importations. Your-correspondent’s resentment of my remarks about the seamen, wharf - labourers' and miners cuts no ice. It is common knowledge for instance, that at least some members of tjic crew of a ship were determined to seg a certain League match on a Sunday, although the ship was ready for sea on the previous Friday. The bar could have turned itself inside out in those three days, and closed thq port for a week for all they cared. The unfortunates in Auckland waiting for that coal cargo did not come into the picture at all. As for the wharf workers, well their chickens are coming home to roost in the shape of ever-increasing cargoes of coal and timber being shipped via Lyttelton. As for the miners well, ask yourself. I retract nothing. Your correspondent’s remark about their “cleaning up the cream of the world in football” makes mb smile. The Coast League team certainly did very well, but if the team they defeated is the “cream of the world” it does not say much for the League code. However, all this .is beside the point. I still hold that we can do very well without Sunday football and dancing exhibitions. The scene at a meeting of the Board of Governors of the« Technical High School when a deputation of League officials assisted by two or three members of the Board, was not an elevating one. It was an attempt to brow-beat the principal into allowing League to be played by the scholars (which meant Sunday football). The principal very rightly left the room and m my opinion the Board was very lucky in not being put to the inconvenience of finding a new master. Fortunately, the chairman of the board was at his post at the following meeting and promptly squashed any further discussion of the subject. A boys’ education does not stop when he leaves school on Friday afternoon, and after all his football career is only a short passing phase in his life. What we want is men of character and ability, courage and statesmanship— Rutherfords, Freybergs, Churchills etc., —not a race of infidels and a few League footballers, and this cannot be attained unul ‘-'UJ 1- ' day is respected—and used for the purpose for which it was ordained. Unfortunately (or fortunaie.y perhaps) I am not “one of those men who have no natural vices. On the contrary I have them aplenty, bm 1 do try and refrain from practising them to the annoyance of othei neoplo. Now a word or two to Weg Ma”~ Gregor.” I think he has supplied th., complete answer to my argument. Can he not see any connection between those disastrous ■earthquakes in South-America and the deluge o>. rain which is ruining England s harvest, and on the other hand, tne wax _ of crime lawlessness and desecration of the Sabbath that is sweeping the world to-day? I‘.s a bit late to get down on your knees when disaster overtakes you. In conclusion, I would hazard a guess thqi Me. MacGregor” would have his Mug pull ed well and truly by his■JoHoems 11 they “kenned” that he e\ c L a”a footba' mateh rauchtas a dancing exhibition on day.-Yours A WOWSER , Greymouth, Sept.