SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1806, 19 July 1913, Page 13

SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE.

BOARD OF CONTROL, The annual meeting of tho Sports Protection League Board of Control was concluded on Thursday ovening. Sir George Clifford occupied the chair, and others . present were: Hon. Dr. Collins, Messrs. C. P. Skerrett, J. G. Duncan, J. H, B. Coates, and C. W.' Tringham. Sir George Clifford remarked that the report was very encouraging. Tho support of ,the community had been given, and ho could only urge that bodies and individuals who desired the progress and oxtension of their respective interests in sport to take care that their friends should join the league as contributing members. The iiifiuenco of tho league, and its effect upon the legislature, largely depended on the magnitude of its membership. Tho r)unedin branch forwarded a remit asking the board to endorse tho application of the Otago Hunt Club, who (by deputation), recently waited upon the Prime Minister with a request that a subsidy be paid to each o£ the sixteen clubs in tho Dominion of ,£250 a year from the tax imposed on totalisator investments. . It was pointed out that tho revenuo ■ from this sourco last year amounted to ,£75,611'. It was -resolved to iay before the Prime Minister the fact that hunt clubs havo a special claim for consideration, in view of tho encouragement which these clubs give to tho breeding of a useful class of horse. Tho Southland branch submitted a scheme of challeugo trophies for competition among the various branches of sport on similar lines to that inaugurated by their branch in connection, with Rugby football. It was resolved to intimate that the board had every sympathy with tlio scheme, but to ask for further particulars, so that they might bo given effect to in a modified form. Tlio Auckland branch requested that tho Board of Control should make representations to tho Government to protect plumpton. coursing and guu clnbs from tho attack made by tho Society for the Provontion of Cruelty to Animals at their annual meeting held in Wellington in May last, and to take steps to counteractany legislation that might be brought down to prohibit these sports. Tho board decided to act in the direction indicated, the secretary to watch any proposed legislation, and to seo that a reasonable opportunity is given to those interested to submit their views to Parliament. Tlio Dunedin branch requested that practical sympathy be given to tho Dunedin Coursing Club, and in tho interests of coursing throughout tho Dominion in tho event of a prosecution on tlio grounds of cruelty by the Society for tho Provontion of Cruelty to Animals. On the motion of Mr. C. P. Skerrott, it was decided to comply with tlio request under a certain stipulation, which is to bo conveyed to the Dunedin branch. A deputation from tho Auckland branch, consisting of Messrs. John Rown, E. \\. Alison, H. Hayr, C. F. Mark, and R. AVynyard, waited upon tho board with a view to putting forward a number of suggestions to improve the work of the lenguo in tlio Auckland province. After the deputation had conveyed their resolution, a lengthy discussion ensued, the members were thanked for the suggestions, and theso aro to receive mimediato attention.