PROGRESSIVE EUCHRE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3765, 10 March 1928, Page 3

PROGRESSIVE EUCHRE.

PROTEST AGAINST BAN.

Auckland, March 8.

Claiming that there was no harm in the game, which engendered social spirit and had no effect in the encouragement of gambling, a meeting of card players in Auckland protested at the ban placed on progressive euchre tournaments by a recent decision of Mr. Justice Adams in Christchurch. Resolutions of protest will be forwarded to the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Internal Affairs.

“A few weeks ago a progressive euchre tournament I was interested in was stopped,” said Mr. L. H. 'Crawford, convener of the meeting. “Wie had built a new school out of funds directly derived from such tournaments. There is still a mortgage on the school and ■ our hopes of wiping it off have now vanished.”

Explaining that he represented 200 euchre players in the Onehunga and Te Papapa districts, Mr. N. Bouzaid said a hall at Te Papapa had been built from funds • raised by euchre tournaments, but the ban had placed the committee in a serious position. “I have no desire to foster anything of a gambling nature. The Government has a monopoly of that, and is welcome .to it,” said the chairman (Mr. A. Nixon). “We will supirort the Government in its endeavour to stop euchre parties with £lO prizes, but we want to keep our social parties where only small prizes are offered. Euchre has brought a better feeling among .the people than all the politicians.” He expressed the view that the legislation should be amended to control euchre parties by stipulating the maximum value of the prizes. A resolution of protest was carried. This expressed agreement with the Government’s desire to eliminate the gambling element, but pressed for the retention of euchre parties for worthy objects, such as school and social funds where only nominal prizes were offered.