SUNDAY GAMES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22489, 5 August 1936, Page 16

SUNDAY GAMES

TE AROHA DOMAIN

REQUEST TO GOVERNMENT PROTEST FROM MINISTERS [by telegraph—own correspondent] TE AROJIA, Tuesday The question of opening the 'le Aroha Tourist Domain for Sunday play was koenly debated at a special meeting of the To A roll a Chamber of Commerce, hold last evening, when by 19 votes to 11 it was decided to petition the Minister in charge of Tourist Resorts, the Hon. F. Langstone, to open the grounds for Sunday sport between 1 p.m. and 0 p.m. In a letter the Ministers' Association protested against the proposal. In support of Ins motion that the Government be asked to open the domain on Sundays, Mr. L. Hopkins said they were not asking the Government to do anything more in To Aroha than was done in liotorua and other centres at the present time. The Government frequently ran Sunday rail excursions to Te Aroha and the position was farcical in that largo numbers of visitors were brought to a town that was " dead " on Sundays. Many of those who opposed the idea thought nothing of taking their families to the beach on Sundays, but he could see no moral difference between a swim at the beach or a swim in the domain baths. T'Jio domain afc present was losing money, and if facilities for games were available on Sundays the takings woidd increase fourfold. Honest recreation harmed nobody. Mr. L. W. Phillips contended that for the benefit of those people who had no cars and particularly the inmates of boarding houses, the grounds should be open. Messrs. Dingwall and Maingay assured the meeting that the bowlers as a club did not want the grounds open on Sundays. Mr. Fitzpatrick contended that the youth of to-day was crying out for amusement. They must be given it or mischief would result. Mr. W. G. Barclay said that youth was crying out for work, not amusement. if these grounds were opened for Sunday sport it would be an admission of national decadence. Following a number of further speakers both for and against, the motion was put, with the result already stated.