ARMY WORK TO BE EXTENDED

Southland Times, Issue 24598, 21 November 1941, Page 6

ARMY WORK TO BE EXTENDED

METHODIST CHURCH CONCLUDING SESSION OF SYNOD (Special) DUNEDIN, November 20. An increase in the work of the Methodist Church in meeting the needs of its members in the armed forces was advocated by the Otago and Southland Synod at its concluding sessions today and a recommendation to the annual conference was earned advocating that £lO,OOO be set aside for an extension of army work at home and abroad. An outline of the work of the Methodist Church in catering for the needs of members of the armed forces was given by the Rev. W. H. Greenslade (Invercargill), who suggested ways of increasing the church’s work in camps throughout the Dominion. Mr Greenslade stated that the Methodist Church had seven padres with the forces overseas. “There are many thousands of men overseas or in mobilization camps,” Mr Greenslade said, “and I believe there is a great opportunity for the church to propagate the ideals of Christian citizenship and Christian democracy.” Mr Greenslade suggested that the Methodist centennial fund be extended to provide for: (1) The erection and servicing of at least one Methodist hutment in a New Zealand mobilization camp; (2) the establishment and servicing of Methodist centres in all camps to be established in conjunction with tlie Y.M.C.A. organization in a hut staffed by lay workers of the church youth organization; and (3) the supplementing where necessary of the allowance of £1 a week granted by the National Patriotic Fund to all padres for work among the men overseas. GAMBLING OPPOSED It was decided to recommend to the conference that a sum of £lO,OOO be appropriated from the extended centennial fund of £150,000 for the purposes outlined by Mr Greenslade. The prevalence of gambling and its effects on the community were discussed by the synod and Methodists were exhorted to abstain from all forms of gambling and keep church money-raising functions free from all taint of it. The following resolution was carried: “That this synod urges both the Government and the public of New Zealand to take hnmediate action to restrain gambling in every form. It points out that gambling has no moral basis, and gain without merit is antisocial, that it breaks down the sense of values, leads to a consideration of money for its own sake and becomes an irresistible urge without human or social value, and that it is the opposite of reason and judgment. It draws attention to the facts that gambling means the maintenance of hundreds of betting men who act in contravention of the law and who repay the community nothing for their earnings, that it slows up production in workshop and factory because of the undue excitement caused, and that it creates false optimism that stifles personal effort. The gambler who trusts to uck leaves others to do the work by which he benefits. It points out that one of its chief effects is to destroy tha'; self-management which is essential to the establishment and administration of a truly Christian Socialist state.” CONCERN ABOUT DRINKING Grave concern at the amount of money spent on liquor in New Zealand and at increased drinking in the community was expressed by the synod. A sub-committee was appointed to draw up a report and later the following resolution was unanimously carried: “That the synod calls attention to the fact that in these momentous times New Zealand spent over £lOOO an hour, day and night, last year on liquor. It views with trepidation increased drinking among young girls as well as men, and deplores the very obvious ignoring of the licensing laws by many publicans, ft urges far stricter police control of licensed houses. It points out that this traffic is entirely unproductive of any form of good and results in nothing but tragedy of many kinds, including the mounting toll of street accidents and other preventable evils. It suggests that it is ridiculous to punish a man for drinking when he has not onlv been given the opportunity to do sc but has been encouraged in the matter by a myriad of advertisements.