SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 188, 7 February 1912, Page 8

SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE

A NEW PLYMOUTH BRANCH FORMED. , About a score of persons attended a meeting in the Town Hall last night, convened by the New Zealand Sports Protection League for the purpose of placing the formation of a local branch of the secoicty upon a definite footing. At the outset the chair was occupied by Mr. McNaught, provincial district secretary of the league, who enumerated the objects of the league as outlined in its official pamphlet. He then went on to say that it had been stated that the majority of the board were prominent I racing men, and as such the movement I had been established for the benefit of j racing clubs only, and for the totalisator in particular. In denying this, Mr. Mc-i Naught said that out of the five members forming the board there was only one who was a member of a racing club., The chairman of the board (Mr. H. D. { Bell) was a man who did not frequent I racecourses, and had nothing in.common < with the clubs. Another member. (Sir George Clifford) was president, but he did not attend the meetings of the board. It had also been said that the "trade" was behind the movement. That was denied publicly by Mr. Bell, who said the league had never solicited or received a shilling from the "trade," nor had it any concern, direct or indirect, in the continuance of the "trade," nor did the No-license question interest it. He himself would noc have been mixed up with the movement as chairman if that had been the case. As a matter of fact Mr. Bell was just as strong for No-, license as many people weTe for the trade. The board was, indeed, composed of men who were out to protect sport generally. The society had branches throughout the whole Dominion, and it had already made its presence felt in several towns in so far as interfering wlwre city or borough councils attempted to cut up a reserve and take it away from cricket or football clubs, as the case might be. He instanced cases in point at Wellington and at Wanganui. At the latter town the opponents of the movement even went as far as attempting to prevent one of the local brass bands giving a sacred concert on Sunday. To the speaker's way of thinking there was no difference between sacred music placed at an opera house and thtit at a church. At Wanganui no charge was made at the concert objected to. Then again they had gone so far as to close the Shirley gplf links at Christchurch altogether. It was things of that sort that the movement was desirousof organising against. It was up against anything in the direction of interfering with the liberty of the subject. A New Zealander' had a perfect right to say whether lie wanted to go for a walk, a ride, a picnic, or to church, and so on. OPPOSED TO ORGANISED SUNDAY SPORT. Let it be clearly understood, however, he continued, that the board of control anri the organisation generally were toopposed to any organised form of r T ' >n Sundays. As showing the necp for.the league's existence, howeve;-. he said that at Timaru quite recently the Ministers' Association had petitioned the borough council not to allow bathing in the surf after. no : on on Sunday. It, was a monstrous pronosal, and was not carried, but it might* have been. Another direction in which the League could help clubs was by reciprocity throughout the Dominion in regard to debarring unfinancial members the right to join any sports club. For the purpose of administration New Zealand would be broken up into affiliated districts. In regard to financial support the league for the future would be financed by the affiliated clubs, each contributing on the basis of 21s per annum. Mutual support was the main thing desired. There would be strength in numbers. They wanted every club to join. Mr. McNaught explained that as soon as the whole of the ground had been covered and branches formed and centres established the present board of control would be succeeded by a dulv elected body. Since last meeting the board had voted £SO for the New Plymouth centre as a nucleus of its funds. Mr. Bewley then took the chair, and the meeting elected the following officers:— )

President, Hon. 0. Samuel. M.L.C.; vice-presidents, Mr. F. T. Bellringer (Rugby football). Dr. Walker (Association football], Mr. A. J. Mcintosh (League football), Mr. A. Standish (golf), Mr. W. Bewley (cricket), Dr. Leatham (tennis), Mr. G. Grey (bowling). Mr. L. B. Webster (boxing), Mr. A. E. Standish (swimming). Mr. €. M. Lepper (racing), Xfr. W. J. Williams (coursing), Mr. J. Smith (Hunt Club), Mr. G. A. Corney (Homing Club), Dr. Fookes (hookey), Mr. ,T. E. Wilson (acclimatisation, Mr. P. C. J. Bellringer (Fire Brigade). Mr J. S. S. Medley (Operatic Society), Mr. E. Sole (Garrison Band), Mr. A. Humphries (Sports Committee); committee, Messrs. E. P. Webster, J. McLeod, F. J. Hill, A. Bewley, 11. Stockcr. Tile committee will elect a secretary at its first meeting.