TO PROTECT SPORT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 60, 6 March 1912, Page 4

TO PROTECT SPORT.

SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE FOR STRATFORD. AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING. A meeting was held last night in the Borough Council Chambers ot those interested in the formation in Stratford of a branch of the New Zealand Sports Protection League. The meeting was representative of all forms of sport and was highly enthusiastic 'throughout. Mr Philip Skoglund made an admirable chairman. The League’s Objects. The chief speaker of the evening was Mr J. McNaught, organising secretary for the d : strict, who said that the obiects of the League were fivefold :—- To influence public opinion, without regard to party politics, in the interests of sport, so as to enable the people to amuse themselves in future without molestation. To promote any alterations of law that may be necessary for the better protection of sports and pastimes. To take up and defend any actions that the Council may consider important at test cases. To discourage all malpractices in connection with, sport, and to raise ’its tone wherever it is considered necesary. Generally to do whatever may, from time to time, seem advisable to extend the facilities for every honestly conducted sport, exercise, and amusement.

The policy of the League, said Mr McNaught, was to protect all classes and forms of sport. It was quite; apparent that tlie League. r wasr not a movement organised purely and* simply in the interests of racing, and that other sporting clubs were minor figures. In the first place the racing clubs had to take the initiative. .They recognised that there.was a. section of the community opposed to all forms of manly sport which was getting very strong—.they recognised that the totalisator was irt jeopardy. He was sure that other sporting clubs, seeing this position, would not object to theracing people taking the initiative. They (the racing people) could see that encroachments were being , made against all forms of sport—not the totalisator only. Mr H. J). Bell, a man who was known all over the Dominion for his force and integrity, wis inst’umental in getting sixty gentlemen to gather together in Wellington last July. These men were representatives of all classes of sport, and they elected a Board of Control, with Sir George Clifford at the head. They were men representative of the sporting community generally, not the racing clubs alone. The Board had done a good deal of preliminary work—drawing up regulations and rules, etc. In the matter of organising the Dominion, it was decided to cut it up into ten districts. The district of which ho was the organising secretary commenced at Palmerston North and ended at New Plymouth, beng bounded on one side by Taumaurunui and on the other by Foxton. A centre had been established at Wanganui. So far they had established some forty branches, with a total membership of seventy thousand, and they honed to raise this number to a quarter of a million before they had finished. No Antagonism.

So far no public antagonism had been shown, though the Ministers’ Associations throughout New Zealand had interested themselves in the matter. They were alluded to by other people in stronger terms, but that was sufficient for their purpose. (Laughter.) The first move of the Ministers’ Association was to abolish the totalisator. Personally, he did not bet, but he held that the totalisator was the best medium by which people could invest their' money or bet if they desired to do so . He had recently given evidence before the New South Wales Commission. The Commissioners had heard evidence throughout New Zealand from labour, capital, no-license, and the like, and they had gone back firmly convinced that the totalisator was necessary for that form of sport. What the League has Dene. Mr McNaught then went on to refer to what the League had already done in the interest of sports. The Wellington City Council had made a move to interfere with the tramway arrangements to the Basin Reserve to the inconvenience of cricketers. Had the cricketers been “on their own” it was probable that their case would never have received favourable consideration, but a strong representative body of all sports—members of the League—waited on the Council and put the case strongly before them. They got their way. A simialr case was that of the Star Boating Club, whose land was threatened by the Harbour Board. At Tiraaru the Ministers’ Association made a Jbold effort to put a stop to surf bathing on Sundays after .10 a.m., but that effort was repulsed by members of the League. The Shirley Links (Christchurch) were unfortunately in a different position. The residents round about objected to golf being played on a Sunday, and the Ministers’ Association also recorded their objections. They interviewed the Council with good effect, and the links are now no longer open to members on Sunday. At Wanganui the Ministers’ Association attempted to put a stop to the boating on Sunday—they even ob-

iectcJ to the Garrison Band playing saieved music in the Town Hall on that day. Ho merely pointed this out to show that the Ministers’ Association was. out not merely'to aholisn the totalisator but to curtail the liberty or the people. 'J ho League wore going to prevent this by rolling noid cf al* the .members of sporting cadis and making their body so strong, numerically, as to bo able to squash any attempted legislation. They had tried to net members of Parliament as patron's of the branches, and so far had had no difficulty in doing this. With a majority of the members of the House as patrons, they could rest assured that uo restrictive legislation of the sort the Ministers’ Association wanted would ho passed. Not a Continental Sunday.

The -League wanted to protect the right of each individual to think and act for himself with regard to his Sunday amusement. (Hear, hear.) The League most emphatically was not after a Continental Sunday. It set its face against organised competitions on Sunday—boat racing, cricket matches, and the like. It was the individual they wanted to protect. Mr McNaught illustrated his point by referring to the Sunday golfing in Wellington, by imon who had absolutely no other day at their disposal which they could , devote to this pastime. “Tile Ministers’ Association,” ho added, “object to it. When they go as far as to object' to a hand playing sacred music on Sunday, well, it’s time something should be done. _ Ji these people were not organised there would be no occasion for this organisation.” The Finance Question. Referring to the matter of funds, the speaker said subscriptions were purely voluntary. Funds were'contributed by people who believed that sport in New Zealand should be controlled by the moderates and not the extremists. The racing clubs throughout New Zealand had contributed a quota, according to their numerical strength. At present their funds (■were something like £2500, and this sum was being spent in organising the whole,of the Dominion. Misrepresentations.

Mr McNaught quoted Mr H. D. Bell with reference to a manifesto issued by the Ministers’ Association, stating that the liquor trade was allied to the Sports Protection League, as follows: “The first of the untrue statements against the League is that it is_ supported by those, engaged in “the trade in liquor, and that the League is concerned to defend that trade. The League has not solicited or received a shilling from that trade, nor has it any concern, direct or indirect, in the continuance of that trade, nor does the No-licehso question interest it. Many members of the League, myself included, v6te No-license, and many vote for continuance. Surely it is absurd to suggest that the Board of Control would have Included me amongst its members if the organisation, which the Board controls, included in its purposes'or aims a clo- .. fence of the .trade in liquor?” V “ 1 ! An Advisory Council. deferring again to the question of funds, Mr,McNapgl.it said that no obV stacle .hqd, been' placed Jn the way of , , ariy or woman joining the Lea,i ; gue,.for f t, was entirely fryc. Menj ’’ who were hot interested iii rahiiig hafl , subscribed liberally, to‘ 'the ' funds of “thh ! League'. ‘ 1 It'feeefmed■ fo'-him ji Jiow- ’ r,l '6v£f, * that' -clUbs • other than racing ■Pclfi'bsi'shtjhld'be called upon to 'pay a '• Jhifill ; anmial ! ' : amoilnt so ' as 1 to give ■l f th’em j y; stronger-int-ereSt in'connection : ‘with the affairs -of' the' League. When the whole of New Zealand was properly organised, the present Board, of Control would go out of office, and the ■ ten centres would nominate ■ men for

the Board of "Control. A 'suggestion had been, made with regal'd to making :'- r ah Advisory 'Council. /.onWith 'theses-', ception of cricket, the governing Bodies of all sports were in Welling- ' Ea'ch' df ‘the’Se coiild appoint a ' "and 'these 1 , men "yoiild con- ’’ "an advisory body to 'the Board, OM ‘OT,oijtttf6K ' They coiild see from this tllat 'it’ was ’impossiblO’ for that com--I'kmittee to ' jvork in the’ interests of facing ’alone, befcaiiso, it would be re T ■ ( /presehtaitiVe of every-spbrt. - 1 i‘ ..’."f'iV.vthe '.Degree of Protection.

The funds of the League would be s at the ■ disposal of various clubs in ■the matter of'protection. For argument’s sake, suppose, they required a piece of land for recreation purposes, and the City Council said they could not have it. The whole of the sporting community got together, and formed a deputation. The result of their efforts would he that they would get that piece of ground, or some piece suitable for their purpose. In that way the League became a power in the country. The branches would have no expenses whatever. Al! money required for organisation would be paid through the centre, —for this , district, Wanganui, which received its money direct from the Board. They would see that the whole thing wa£ controlled, by. the Board, though the League was decentralised as far as possible. Unfinancial Members.

The speaker went on to refer to one point in which the League would undoubtedly, extremely useful—the protection of clubs from unfinancial members. He instanced the case of the Christchurch Amateur Club which had been killed by men who would not pay their subscriptions. A meeting was called to dissolve the chib, and it was found that their liabilities were £35, yet they would have been financial if the outstanding subscriptions to the amount of £CO had been paid. The League would protect the clubs in this way. A forfeit list would he established. The names of defaulters would be sent to headquarters, and these would be circulated amongst all the clubs of New Zealand, so that if a player who had not paid his subs, in Stratford wished to play any variety of sport in any other town in Now Zealand, lie would not be able to do so until he had liOcome financial to the local club. A Badge of Membership.

The Board of Control had issued silver badges. These were to be sold at 2s 6d. One shilling of this was retained by the branch, which sold the badges, and the Is 6d was forwarded to the centre. They did not expect the badge to bring in a very large amount of money, but they hoped it would be worn by every right-minded and right-thinking individual throughout the Dominion, and he trusted that a specially strong branch would be formed in Stratford. It would be in their interests to do so, and it would be in the interests of the Board of Control. So far they had met with no refusals, and had had no difficulty in assuring the various clubs, other than racing clubs, that the League was not out in the interests of racing alone—it was out to protect sport generally. (Applause.) The Chairman remarked that he could see by the attitude of those present that the League had their sympathy. He would ask somebody to move that a branch of the New Zealand Sports Protection Society ho established in Stratford. Mr E.,A. Osmond moved accordingly, and Mr D. J. Malone seconded.

The motion was then carried unanimously. The qncalien v.ar vaiKd by -> ! .r mol'd as t.) wu l '.'-V in; m <voi:H he loyal to their League if they supported a candidate w no wasu. i in .. cord mice wit a tlio view:; cf t.i? League in preference io rr.: >v u w an. Mr Aic !\..i;".■ 1 . auburn d t -it ; o for as l ie League wan com e. r.cd, L in:.:: no active part in party pr.l:t.i a. Election cf GfTiOGts. Air Sidney Pitt proposed that Mr J. B. Hine "be elected Patron of tne Branch. The meeting, while desirous emit Mr Mine mioukl act in tn s capacity, decided tliat the matter should * be left in abeyance until it has liecn ascertained that Mr Hi no is willing to accept the position. Dr. Paget was unanimously elected ! president. Vice-presidents were elected as follows:—Air W. P. Kirkwood (A. and P. Assn..), Air ,p\ Dunlop (cricket). Air 1). J, Malone (Rugby football), Air Sid. Clark (Assn, foctoall), Mr E. B. Stohr (swimming), Air G. Jackson (bowling), Air J. it. L. Stanford (golf), Air N. Fnssell (tennis), Air A. W r . Budge (racing), Air W. D. Anderson (hockey), Air T. Gnibl) (tire brigade), Air T. Alarsliall (band), Air Tyrer (school), Air W. J. Morrison (gun club), Air Campbell Jackson, (rifle club), Mr R. Dingle (croquet club), and Air Philip. Skoglimd (l)oxing and wrestling). Air N. F. Dunlop was elected secretary, and treasurer. A motion that the meeting should proceed to elect an executive committee was not seconded, and it was decided that the vice-presidents should elect that body from their number.

The point was raised during the election of officers as to whether gentlemen should not bo elected .from Strathmore, Whangamomona, etc. Air McNaught said the proper tiling would be to make sub-branches. They would, however, have to come to an arrangement with Inglewood and Eltliam, in both of which towns, branches of the League had been formed. The usual vote of thanks to the chair, and a very hearty vote to Air McNaught, which was carried by acclamation, concluded the meeting. Tha Executive Committea.

At a subsequent meeting of the vice-presidents, the following gentlemen were elected as the Executive Committee:—Messrs W. P.‘Kirkwood, I). J. Malone, E. H. Young, P. Skoglund, and J. 11. L. Stanford.

The following vice-presidents were also elected;—J. Thomas, jun., D. S. Glasgow, J. McCluggage, T. C. Fookes, C. Bayly, H. Good, W. H. Young. Dr. Carbery, W. A. Good, W. G. Malone, W. 11. S. Brewer, A. Meredith, D. Cottier, R. L. Faulkner, C. Sea bright, R. Hogg, L. Klee, H. Crawford, A. Colson, F. J. Mackay.