RELIGIOUSLY INCLINED POLICEMEN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3549, 13 June 1912, Page 6

RELIGIOUSLY INCLINED POLICEMEN.

! CAN THEY ATTEND CHURCH?

I DISCUSSION BY AUCKLAND i PRESBYTERY.

J3y Telegraph —Special Correspondent. I AUCKLAND, June 12. | The isolation of -religiously-inolinoa j policemen from attending, church services because of excessive Sunday i duty, formed the subject of an indigi nantly-worded protest by the Religi- | ous sind Morals Committee of the | Auckland' Presbytery, at last night’s | meeting of the latter body. ! The Committee recommended that > the Presbytery should communicate * with the Minister for Justice, so as

| to secure as large a measure as possible of Sunday rest for policemen. I A. resolution for the adoption of | the recommendation was placed before the meeting. I The mover declared that to his ■ knowledge policemen in Auckland had , been on to do duty for as many !as seven Sundays in succession. The I result was that any member of the ; force who desired to attend public j worship were absolutely unable to go i to church at all. While the committee recognised the necessity for policemen to do a share of Sunday duty, it was felt that they should be free at least every second Sunday so as to exercise their privij logo of church worship. ! The Moderator (Rev. Jas. Milne), ■ asked, if the committee -could get j members of the force to support the , ellegations of excessive Sunday duty? | The mover (indignantly): “I have j placed positive information before the ; Presbytery, but I am not going to give the names of policemen who might be brought before their superior officers and placed under prejudice for having stated facts.” (Hear : hear). j Another member of the Presbytery ! queried whether the police were not on a similar footing with tramway . men in regard to. Sunday duty. ■ The mover -replied that the police service was of the people, whereas the - Tramway Co. was a privately-conduct-ed -concern. A general discussion, ensued as to ; the advisableness of suspending action until further information could be ob- . tained. i It was generally conceded that if the facts were as stated, the Presbytery was not only within its rights but was called upon to protect public servants in connection with whom they were, under a responsibility. It was deemed wiser, however, to hold the matter over until the next ordinary meeting of the Presbytery.