THE LIBERTY OF THE PEOPLE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 876, 23 July 1910, Page 10

THE LIBERTY OF THE PEOPLE.

Sir,—l take for my text.tho heading of a paragraph in your issue of this morning, containing a report of a meeting of the Auckland Citizens' League, advising that tho following resolution was passed: "That tho secretary of tho league be instructed to put himself m communication with tho secretaries of all sporting organisations, and to ask these bodies to co-operate with tho leaguo to combat the growing ■ tendency to interfere with tho liberty of tho peoplo in their legitimate sports and pastimes." Now, sir, there is no doubt that the people en masse are very supiuo, and that any activo minority can beat them by their organisation and zeal, but I think that the majority of New Zealanders are neither Prohibtionists nor Sabbatarians, and'that once they are roused, as I hope they will bo by the Auckland Citizens' League, they will show that they are not going to be :coeiced by a narrow-minded, puritanical minority into the loss of their reasonablo privileges. That portion of our community who find their pleasure in attending churches, chapels, Sunday schools, etc., are .not interfered with. Nobody tries to suppress their infantile sports. Why should they interfere to coerce their fellow citizens by legislative enactments to abdicate their rights to reasonable amusqiuonts ? I wish • the Auckland Citizens' League all success in their fight for liberty, and will do all in my power to help them. I trust that similar leagues will .bo formed all over the colony,'and I behevo if they aro they will bo largely supported. This would not be a bad country to live in if it were not for its repressive legislation.—! am, etc., A LOVER OF FREEDOM.