SUNDAY EXCURSIONS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 688, 13 June 1929, Page 7

SUNDAY EXCURSIONS

PROTEST BY CHURCHMEN DEPUTATION TO MINISTER Press Association WELLINGTON, Wednesday. A further protest against the running of excursion trains was made to the Minister of Railways by a deputation representing the Wellington Ministers’ Association, the Anglican Clerical Association, and laymen. It was urged that the policy of the Government in organising pleasure excursions on Sundays was not in the highest interests of the community. The deputation noted with regret that the department’s attitude to Sunday was frankly a commercial one. The Hon. W. B. Taverner, in reply, said the question had been brought before him at other places. He could not help but be impressed with what had been said. On the other hand, the problem was one which must be regarded from the Railway Department’s point of view in the same way as the department looked at other questions. To suggest that the department was out to commercialise Sunday and do all it could to upset the ordinary way of treating the Sabbath was placing a responsibility on the officers of the department which they should not be called upon to bear. Publicity through schools had been stopped. It had been made clea.r to him by the officers that the demand for Sunday trains existed, and because of that the service was instituted. He assured the deputation the whole problem would be treated in a proper manner.