APPEAL TO COMMISSION BY CRICKETER

Chronicle (Levin), 15 March 1947, Page 8

APPEAL TO COMMISSION BY CRICKETER

-PreSs Association

3v feleafavH—

WELLINGTON, Mar. 14. "Gambling and true sjloi'tsmanslnp are almost • as tlie poles ap'art. If gambling eomes in at the "doors, true sport flies- out of the \vindow; ' 5 stated Rev. E. O. Blantir'es, Methodist, in evidence on the influenee of gambling" on sport, giVen before the Gaming Coniiiiission. He said gambling entering into sport tended to destroy the elements of trtie sportsmansllip because its growth Was often at the expenSe of houour. It weaken'ed the team spirit. Lt. served the individual Selflshly at the exp'ense of the intereSt of a group. It iiad inoneta'ry gaih as, its ehief end in view. It depended in large nieasiire on the use of chance as a basis of nion'et'ary rervard. He once'attended a wrestling match in the Town Hall of another city, in rompany with a friend who had preriously been frequently engaged to referee matches in Australia. This friend told him how the match would result and that, as" a referee, he liad frequently lcnown in advanee exactlj1" by what margin oue wrestler would win. Referring to the Dominion Sportsihen's Association, the witness said in his lifetime expeiience of sport >.o association of genuine sportsmen — men who plaj-ed games and administer^d them — had ever advocated gambiing on sport. The licensmg of bookmakers could not be for the good of any sport and would almost certainly be to the detriment of every Sport on whicli gambling could be organised. Witn'ess added that the eaptain of th*e New Zealand cricket team, Mr. W. A. Hadlee, had asked him to state on his behalf that: "I am certain it will l>e a bad datr for New Zealaiid sport if ihe bookmakers are allowed a free liand. Gambling mufit corrupt the sport it touehes. I am strongly opposed to any gambling on sport, such as racing. being allowed to progress any further by means dependent on gambling. Al- . ready we have diffleulty in fllling cricket ranks on Saturday , because of race meetings. The attraction is not. ihe speetacle of horse racing Irut the possibility of making money. This is not the way to build a healthy nation of young athletes or to help keep oltler meii actively engaged in the derelopiiioii t of youth."