ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the number of recreational issues which directly impinged on the political process. It shows that leisure is indeed a political question, inasmuch as it involves public debate about the meanings and use of leisure, as well as campaigns for adequate spare time facilities. As with church organizations in general, the temperance movement sponsored a number of recreational events. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s the church pressed for legislative reform of the drink trade. There was no such thing as a united approach by the various religious groups. The desire of the church to shape the recreational life of the nation necessarily involved pressure group politics, Parliamentary debate, legislation and even judicial intervention. Since politics involves debate about and demands for greater resources it is appropriate to examine the ways in which leisure interest groups struggled for more and better amenities.
