SUNDAY PICNICS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 89, 14 March 1941, Page 4

SUNDAY PICNICS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —In last night’s issue of the “Manawatu Standard” there appeared copies of letters forwarded to me from the vicar of St. Peter’s Anglican Church (Rev. E. S. Ramson) and the Palmerston North Ministers’ Association in connection with the Thumbs Up Club picnic held on Sunday, March 2. It is not my intention to enter into a newspaper controversy over tiiis matter, but 1 would like to reply to the statements made by these gentlemen. The picnic was not organised for certain children; it was open for anyone to attend if they so wished. Very few, if any, children attended the picnic without their parents, and, naturally, those children would have to first of all have their parents’ permission. Can it honestly be said .that I kept those people who attended the picnic away from church? Is it right or fair to say that 1 heedlessly put serious hindrances in the way of the religions education of our young people, when one thinks of the crowds at the beaches, the rivers, the golf course, the crowds who travel on Sunday excursion trains? Had there been no Sunday picnic would those people have gone to church? The day following the picnic protests were received from religious bodies, but did any one of them think to make an effort before the picnic to have the day altered? Possibly it was considered very few people would attend, but when the brilliant day attracted some 6000 people then it’s time to protest. Religious bodies are perfectly justified in making a reasonable

protest, but I do think before making the strong protests they have done they should have made some effort to have the date altered prior to the picnic.

May I just explain the origin of the Thumbs Up Club. It was organised with the object of doing something definite towards the war effort and'definitely not for advertising purposes. I think this can. be proved by the fact that in the few months of. its existence the club collected bottles which realised about £lO, this amount being handed to the lied Cross. They collected well over 3000 books for the boys in camp; they collected 20,000 stamps (these have yet to be sold) and in ad- j dition to a quantity of scrap metal i the club has already handed over to j the Heart-to-Heart Appeal £3Ol 86 1 3d. Rev. Mr Ramson in his letter to me says “the corruption of little children as a means of advertising is most unworthy.” If the above facts can be termed corrupting little children then it is time for the club to disband, and to-night the Thumbs Up Club will cease to function. This decision has been made very reluctantly, but in view of the accusation that I am using children for advertising purposes I am left with no other option, i do hope, however, that a section of the Sunday School Union or the Ministers’ Association will make endeavours to revive the club, perhaps under another name, to continue doing something definite towards the patriotic efforts. —I am, etc., K. M. GARNER, For the Thumbs Up Club. 14-3-41.