The Hutt News. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1928. THE TASMAN FLYERS AND SUNDAY OBSERVANCE.

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 15, 6 September 1928, Page 4

The Hutt News. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1928. THE TASMAN FLYERS AND SUNDAY OBSERVANCE.

Although unwittingly, we are sure, the two aviators—Kingsford Smith and Ulm —who are to essay the hazardous flight across the Tasman Sea, have aroused some strong feeling and an emphatic expression of that feeling from a section of the public of Christehureh. The Association of Church Ministers has protested against what it considers a violation of the Sunday in the timing of the arrival of the aviators for a Sunday afternoon. They base their protest on the ground that such a day was not compulsorily forced upon them and that another day —a purely secular one —could with equal advantage to the fliers have been chosen. Prom the point of view of the churchgoer the time of anticipated arrival— 2 p.m— could in no sense have interferred with his attendance at morning service, and, all going well with the flight, the excitement would be all over ere the hours of evening service came round. What then, one may pertinently ask, is the reason for this protest by the Ministers, made not on their own behalf but on that of the many hundreds of churchgoers? Undoubtedly it was a strong desire to preserve the day from unnecessary excitement and from the..congregating of large crowds of liighly strung up people in a state of mind far removed from that enjoined by the church. In the circumstances we admit a feeling of sympathy with those entering this protest, as we are, as a people, already too prone to a non-observance of the Day of. R^st. Far be it from us to wish to see anything I approaching a return to the austere Purii tanical Sabbath' of even half a century ago, a day of gloomy faces and more gloomy minds, but we see-here as well as elsewhere a throwing off of all religious restraint and a falling from that '' righteousness which exalteth a nation.'' Just how far this southern protest found support, we have no means of knowing, but fi om time to time a note of warning is struck by various churches throughout the Dominion, and withoiit reverting to the specific case at issue, we feel that the warning is not without warrant. Are we in danger of falling to the level of the Continental Sunday, with its open bars, football matches, horse racing, etc., when the populace after six days of mental and physical toil indulges in strenuous games and in varied form of excitement, depriving itself of at least one day in j seven of bodily rest, of calm reflection, and of a turning to a thankful reflection of the beauty and bounty of nature. We have no desire to deal -with the protest entered by the Mayor- of Christehureh against his not being officially Advised of the changed date of departure, as we feel sure no discourtesy was intended even though a measure of neglect was shown.