SUNDAY PLAY ON BOWLING GREENS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18985, 3 February 1930, Page 9

SUNDAY PLAY ON BOWLING GREENS.

SHARP CONTROVERSY ARISES IN CITY CLUB.

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 on 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.

The 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.

The question has not yet been settled, and it is said that it is causing a good deal of feeling in the club.

Although golf and tennis are now played very generally on Sundays in Christchurch, bowlers have not shown any very strong desire to introduce Sunday play. On one or two greens in the outlying suburbs play is indulged in on Sundays, but all the city clubs have so far confined play to weekdays only. In some of the other centres, however, Sunday play is quite customary.

The Lin wood Club recently took a ballot on the question, but the opinion of the majority of the members was that Sunday play was not desirable. Other clubs have discussed the matter in an informal way, and none have decided openly in favour of opening the greens on Sundays.

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

Should clubs which own the freehold of their greens decide in favour of Sunday play, the question will then arise as to the position of those clubs whose. greens are on public reserves. The City Council may decline to allow Sunday play on its reserves, although the Wellington City Council grants permission.

In the case of tennis the position at present is that nearly all the clubs open their courts for play on Sundays, and the practice has become so general that it now causes very little comment. Sunday play is not allowed on the association’s courts at Wilding Park, but it is stated that one reason for this position is that the clubs want to keep their players on their own courts on Sundays. The United Club’s courts are also closed on Sundays, and in this case the. question has not been raised because it is considered desirable that as they are grass courts they should be given a complete spell for a day in each week.