A RECENT MANIFESTO.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1297, 28 November 1911, Page 9

A RECENT MANIFESTO.

V ;;., .V » ' SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE AND MINISTERS' ASSOCIATION. .'.;'' (fly•• Telecraoh.—l'rcsa Association.) 1 , 'j',. Auckland, November 27. T,he recent manifesto issued by tho Auckland Ministers' Association regarding/the Sports Protection League, stated: "The- league is fighting for the restitution of tho bookmaker,-extension of the curso of ,the totalisator and betting, and the of racing days. It would go even further and extend totalisator permits to coursing matches." l'Jiis' statement was challenged by the Bp<ird;'of Control of the Sports Protection Leagile located in Wellington, and in a letter:to tho Ministers' Association tho Begird-of Control asked tho association to withdraw tho manifesto. ■iThe iPublic Morals Committee of tho Miiiisteis' Association has now roplied to the' Board of' Control, pointing out that the, assertions made in the , ministers' manifesto aro • verified and ■ justified; ■■■by the propaganda, of tho I'arncllt branch of the league. A .fter ■ dealing at length with the questionV.a3ked of Parliamentary candidates by. the Parnell branch, the reply contiiiiies:• ■' "If there i> any misrepresentation of the objects of your league,', wo must ask you to assume tho responsibility' for it in; tho ejss of ..the; public. The Parnoll organisatio)i'i,is a branch of your leaguo and .both tho officers of that organisation and,-' according to a. Press Association telegram, the board of tho league in Wellington, admit the relationship. Mr. 'Armstrong's motion lies at tho foundation ot yqur league, and it hits been reported in a local paper that the forms used by Mr.; Armstrong for the enrolment of members'; bear llio names of the executive of your..' league. We must, therefore, be giiided'.as to your league's intentions by the interpretation of yoiir. somewhat indefinite constitution offered by a recognised branch of'your society. 'In view of the-above facts wo- must- decline to withdraw our manifesto. . There can bo but one reading of your purposes .by the public "mind in view of the missionary work of the Parnell branch, and we conc6ive.itjto be our duty to direct public nttentioh to a deliberate.attempt made in the naiad of-your league to roplace on our statute'books laws which legalise and foster and institutions that are likely ; t0 becoino national dangers. Your league's feverish anxiety to proclaim its unwillingness to • extend the use of the to'talisator is tantamount to an admission that'.the machine is ftaught with moral danger,to the nation. We , charge it-home to you , that'your league is determinad to maintain and defend facilities for gambling.'.and that in spito of your tacit, acknowledgment of ■ the moral ■ danger of euch'.V; . '•■'', "W« arc, yours truly, "D..D. Scott (convener), H. Steel Craik, J. Cocker, Howard Elliott (committee)."