THE FEILDING SPORTS.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 124, 21 November 1894, Page 2

THE FEILDING SPORTS.

TO TITE ICD!T«»n OF THE STAR. Sir,— Will you kindly allow me to express my pleasure at the vigorous protest that was lodged at a recent meeting of the Sports Committee against the inclusion in the programme' of sports of a wrestling event ; and my regret that the Committee decided to include the event. As surely, sir, as this kind of thing is included the success of the sports will be a thing of the past. In the past, the meeting has been one of pure healthy sport ; but wrestling competitions are surrrounded with so much that is anunalish, brutalising, and depraving, that it will make the whole of the day's proceedings of a decidedly unhealthy character. The aim of the promoters ought to be to provide a day's sport that anyone can attend ; but there is such a leap down from this to gratify mere animal enjoyment in the witnessing of a wrestling competition that it will have the effect of keeping away very many who would attend if only for the reason that they wish to patronise and encourage healthy sport. Apart from that, the inclusion of an item of this kind will have the effect of attracting to the sports an undesirable kind of character, for there is, unfortunately, a class of degraded tastes that will eagerly flock round anything that excites mere animal propensities, like carrion round putiid fie sh. I defy anyone, sir, to make the surroundings of a wrestling match of a refined character. As regards its inclusion in the programme the promoters should remember there is a strong moral sense in the community that will not be played with and must bo regarded. They have it in their hands to make the day a model one, and the honor of Feilding is to a large extent included in the way in which her annual sports are conducted. Like myself, a large portion of the community would feel it a duty to patronise pure sports ; but I assure you, sir, we should feel it no less a duty to protest against the lowering of the standard by the inclusion of degrading items, by staying away. Nothing will be lost by keeping the sports of the highest character. I am, etc., Vox Populi.