"THE SPORTING PARSON"

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 5 March 1914, Page 5

"THE SPORTING PARSON"

REV. JASPER CALDER'S UTTERANCES. STRONG DISAPPROVAL BY A DIOCESAN COMMITTEE. (Unitbd Pbess Association.) AUCKLAND, March 4. On Sunday, the Rev. Jasper Caldex, a young Anglican clergyman, who .is well kno\yn here as "the sporting parson," delivered a special address to sporting men, the gist of which was that there should ' bo a stronger sympathy between active ! church workers and sporting men. Horse" racing had come to stay, and the preach!er thought it would be better for the Church to accept that fact, and endeavour to make the spprt a good, clean one than to display antagonism towards horse • racing, which would only alienate the sympathies of a large body of perfectly • reputable men connected with sport. i This address was considered at a I meeting of the diocesan social questions : committee last evening, when the .following resolution was passed unanimously: "That this commission regrets and strongly disapproves of the pulpit utterances of the Rev. Jasper Calder, as reported in the Press (on the betting evil).." Interviewed to-day, the Rev. Mr Calder was reluctant to make any reply to the commission, which he said was doingmuch excellent and very useful work, "but as regards tho gambling evil, and racing generally," said Mr Calder, "the voice of the commission seems to show that they have taken "" entirely a onesided view. I believe I have had enough experience of racing mj'self to give both sides of the question. Until one can do this one is bound to find a difficulty 'in gaining the sympathy of the sporting man in one's efforts."