Good Friday Show.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 740, 19 April 1933, Page 6

Good Friday Show.

Solemn Protest

Petition by Thousands of Laymen.

(Special to the “ Star.”) SYDNEY, April 13. J7OR MANY YEARS PAST leading churchmen here have protested against the practice of holding the R.A.S. Show on Good Friday, and the late Archbishop Wright was foremost in the fight against this “ desecration ” of Easter. This year, while several clerics have inveighed against the practice from their pulpits, an organised attempt has been made by laymen to express their views on this subject, and a petition signed by thousands has been presented to the Gov-ernor-General, the Governor, the Premier and the Minister for Lands desiring them to bring pressure to bear upon the R.A.S. in the required direction. Governor-General’s Views. The replies given by these various functionaries are both interesting and instructive. The Governor-General says that he “ fully understands and most strictly respects the sanctity of the day, and refrains from any engagement or attendance which might be thought by any portion of the community to weaken its solemnity.” At the same time he holds that he “ ought not to interpose officially.” Sir Philip Game is even more diplomatic. He asks the petitioners to rest assured that all possible consideration will be given to their views, and he hopes that “ some result may be achieved.” Society’s Reply. The Premier very naturally referred the petition to the Royal Agricultural Society, and the R.A.$. replied with some vigour. It claims that there is nothing going on at the Showgrounds on Good Friday or any other day in Easter week that could offend anybody’s religious susceptibilities. It suggests that the Show, as it provides a magnificent display of the gifts of God to man, might well be deemed a fitting opportunity for “ giving glory to God for all His favours ” and it concludes by assuring the Premier and the objectors that “if the petition were granted it would wreck the society for all time.” This rather hysterical exaggeration was fastened upon by the petitioners for adverse comment, and in their answer to Mr Stevens they repeat their protest against the practice of holding M a huge public show and entertainment ” under the auspices of Government and Crown, “ on this most solemn day in the Christian year”; and they insist that steps should be taken to secure the discontinuance of this practice so that the sanctity of this holy day may be preserved and upheld. An Awkward Position. Mr Stevens was certainly in an awkward position, but he extricated himself with some dexterity by assuring the petitioners that -while he and his advisers are not certain that there is “ any real and widespread demand” for the proposed change, yet if it can be shown that there is “ a substantial body of public opinion ” in favour of dropping the Show on Good Friday he will be prepared to convene a conference with a view to effecting some alteration before Easter, 1934. So there, for the time being, the matter stands.