SPORTS PROTECTION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1288, 17 November 1911, Page 9

SPORTS PROTECTION.

COBRECTIXG" WUOXG IMPRESSION. tknY^J" s , o^-1 " , Board of Control of Ca l an l S ' wts I'rotection League Cl « ycs f r;l,iy t0 condor certain V tions of tho Panic!! branch of the lea? w Time were present: Messrs. H. D. Bel! K.(.. (chairman), J. K. D. Coates, J. G Duncan, and Br. Collins Hm "llfT tbflt .? lr - 1; - A. Armstrong rotary 0 tho league in Auckland' ], ns l.mie.ll to the extent of nskintr questions ot candidates. The Parnell branch of ho league, throimli its individual membsi.s, asfcod ceiidulates to plcdyo themsolvos among other things to a repeal of the Gamniß Act of 1910, so as to prevent am- rwluctiou of racing days on which the totahsator may be used; and to allow the totalisator to bo u?od at coursing meetings. And the Pa moll braiic'ji also passed a resolution to the effect that the leasuo support Mr. J. S. Dickson. as iwiiK the onl.v candidate who had affirinod the proposals submitted. At Hip meotiii" yesterday tho board decided to hand Ihe followinpr statement to the Press Association:—"Tho Board (if Control or the Xou- Zealand Sports Protection Lcaguo emphaticnlly difapproves of the resolution of the Parneil branch as reported in the special t«lcBram to the 'X.Z. Times' to-day. No member of the league is under ;m'y obligation to imi-ko the lrn?ne's objects his first consideration at Die election. Mr. Armstrong is .not an official of the board, 1 and has no authority to speak or act on behalf of tho league. So far as tho board is aware neither Sir .Tolrn Findlay nor Mr. -J. S. Dickson is opposed to tho objects to promote which the-lcaguo was formed." It was further decided that a copy of the statement b? sent to Jlr. B. A. Armstrong, with a letter to the effect that tho board cannot now offer him any position under its management. .Some fifteen mouths an association was formed in Auckland liavints some of the objects of tho Sports Protection League,, and of this Auckland society Mr. Armstrong was secretary. M'heil the league was formed, tho committee of this association practically decided to form their society into the Auckland branch of tho league. A meeting was to be called by the league's agsnt in Auckland, tho Hon. 13. Mitehelson, but from various cause. , ! that meeting has not been held yet. Consequently Mr. Armstrong; was not actually an oflicer of the league.

STATEMENT BY SIK JOHN FLVDUX (Br Telejraph-Preas Association.) Auckland, November 16. The objects of the- Sports Protection League were briefly discussed by Sir, John Findlav this afternoon in an address to lady doctors at Newmarket, witfi a preparatory statement of his clotermination to resist any attempt to restore certain phases of gambling which liavo been either suppressed or restrictcc by recent legislation. Sir John Pindlay proceeded to express his astonishment at the action of the league in allowing its name to lw identified with proposals for a wide extension of the tot-alisiitor, and the iwuscitatioii of the bookmaker, both of which tho Pnrnoll brane.h lmd decided it would .support. In view bi' the fact that tho chief officers of the league flood strongly for tho limitation of the totalisufc.r and for the exclusion of tho bookmaker, ho was waiting with .some curiosity to see how tho heads of .(he movement in Wellington would view the "attitude of tho Parnell branch.