SYDNEY’S EASTER SHOW

Otago Witness, Issue 3756, 9 March 1926, Page 80

SYDNEY’S EASTER SHOW

PROTESTS AGAINST OPENING ON GOOD FRIDAY.

(From >ur Own Correspondent.! SYDNEY, February 18. The people of Sydney never need to be reminded by the Royal Agricultural Society of the approach of the show. Every year, with the regularity of clockwork, the approach of the Royal Show is heralded just about'this period by a protest to the society from the Anglican Church against the opening of the exhibition on Good Friday, on the ground, of course, that that day has always been regarded by the church as sacred. It is a forlorn cause that the church fights, for its protest each year evokes a courteous refusal of the request to close the show on what is one of the society’s best days. The church is possibly persisting in its protests in the belief that it will be staggered some day by the receipt of a letter from the society acquiescing in its proposal. Ordinarily, the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney aloDe sends along this protest in the name of the church, but this year, possibly in the belief that there is strength in numbers, he has joined forces with five of the diocesan bishops in the appeal to the society. But the pro test, alas, even from this weighty ecclesiastical body, lias again been fruitless. The attitude of the church is that the opening of the show on Good Friday involves a disregard for the sacred associations of the day, and must lead to a lowering of the normal tone of the community. Judging from the mass of people, however, who spend that day quietly at the show in the fresh air and sunshine, the society appears to be obeying the wishes of tile groat majority of the people in opening the show on Good Fridays, and adhering to a time-honoured practice. The society, of course, is careful each year to close its most courteous reply to the church with a paragraph, emphasising that it sympathises with the attitude it takes up. The correspondence eacli year between the society and the church is a hardy nuliual that provides a little amusement for the public.