SUNDAY PLAY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 4 February 1930, Page 6

SUNDAY PLAY

ON BOWLING GREENS

CONTROVERSY IN CHRISTC'IIURCH

(lly Telograpb—Special to "The Mail")

CHRISTCIITJRCH, 3rd February

A sharp controversy has arisen in one of the city bowling clubs over the question of whether play should be permitted on the green on Sundays and it seems likely that other clubs may also be confronted with a similar problem in the near future. The circumstances of the case are that a large party of members of the club went to Timaru en a recent Sunday, where they were the guests of two of the clubs in that town. Play was indulged in, although those taking part were, warned to keep quiet about the matter. 'fhe players who went to Timaru now desire to return the hospitality extended to them, but on making application' to the committee of their club for the use of the green on a Sunday they were confronted with very strong objections by a section of the' members, 'fhe question has not yet been settled and it is said it is causing a good deal of feeling in the club. Although golf and tennis are now played very generally on Sundays in Chiistehurcli, bowlers have not shown any very strong desire to introduce Sunday play. On one or two greens in outlying suburbs play is indulged in on Sundays, but all city clubs have so far confined play to week days. In some other centres, however, Sunday play is quite customary. The Linwood Club recently took a ballot on the question, but the opinion of the majority of members was that Sunday play was not desirable. Other clubs have, discussed the matter in an informal way, hut none has decided openly in favour of opening the greens on Sundays.

Apart from objections on the score of causing offence to churchgoers, the necessity for giving the bowling greens a spell at least one day in each week has been a strong reason against openhrg them for play on Sundays. It is recognised, however, that this is not an insuperable difficulty.