UNITING TO PROTECT SPORT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1201, 9 August 1911, Page 5

UNITING TO PROTECT SPORT.

"ALL KNEW HOW MERCILESS PURITANS HAD BEEN. (By Tdeitrapb.—SDodal Correspondent.! Auckland, August 8. ■ tho annual meeting of the Auckland Racing Club, held yesterday, was addressed by Messrs. W/E. Hackett and R A. Armstrong, representing tho Auckland Sports Protection Society. Mr. Armstrong stated that all sport was threatened and likely to bo attacked ere long. ■ Tho Sports Protection Society realised that the A.R.C. was the strongcat club in the North Island, and that its members could exert a very great influence. He asked: Was their sport worth protecting? If so, then sportsmen, would have to fight for it. Mr. Hackett remarked that if they wanted racing they would have to protect tho totalisator. Nevor before was their eport in such jeopardy, for they had opponents in the racing enmp in the shnpo of the country clubs, who wore dissatisfied and would have to bo placated to save trouble. Unless the totqlisntor existed racing would be abolished. Ho favoured tho retention''of tho bookmaker, but unless they were strong enough to' retain what they had, then they would not be able to reinstate something else. Another thing to bo. remembered was that there ehould bo no aristocracy on the turf, but that all meii should be equal. Tho aim of the Sports Protection was to bring about reciprocity in all forms, of 6port, and racing wanted the most support, for it could not stand alone. Mr. Rowe stated that practically every racing club- had _ joined the society, which already claimed a largo 'membership, r Mr. C. E. Major said that it seemed thai a wave of sicldy sentimentality was going over the world, and that it had reached this Dominion. If racing men were assailed they should protect themselves. All knew how merciless Puritans had been at all times, and they could be just tho same in the twentieth century.