SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10478, 15 November 1911, Page 5

SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE

AUCKLAND MINISTERS' MANI FESTU. SUItPEJSE IN OHIRISIXMUBIQH. (By Telegraplhi—Press Asso-jiitbo.) OEERISTCIHUIRiaH, Lasit bright: OonisictarajMe surprise is felt kt local sports circles (regarding Tviuat is considered to be rtflito extfaraordtinary manifesto issued by tile Auckland Ministers' Association concerning the New Zealand Sports. Protection) League. Tike miainoiiiesto. was brought under the notice 01 Mr A. Boyle, President of the local hrainoh of the League, Iby a Rres-S' represent it ive; to-day, aoid Ma- Boyile was quite aJDJaaed at the violence and virulence of the attack ma<le, an attack which wias ibased 00* an entirely wrong premise. ■ "The iso'le object of ti<e League," he declared, "is to protect and purify sport. It is absolutely untrue to say that we ace lighting for the res-tiibution of the bookmaker. or tlbat'we-des(ii - e the extension of the itotaMsator, or that we woujid nvulitipfly the numlber of raeiag days in the yieaav If the secretary nf the Notftlfera branch caused the »ni<nistera to believe wihat they seem to believe in their manifesto, then ho wa> altogether exceeding his duties ai.d claiming for the League objects which ilt does not profess. The League ha® nothing wihatever to d<"witlli f}liie olaiims> attributed to it, by the Auckland ministers. The League does not stand ifioa* tihe bookmaker, nor for an increase in the days of racing, aior for the extension of the tobaS'isatior, nor' for tine liquor interests. It has nothing to do< wuitihi amy of these. The League, moreover, is against all pudlic exhibitionls of sport on (Sundays', but <it believe® that each individual Has the right to spend paa't lof tine hours of Suaiday in harmless* amusement, provided that by doing" >so he gives no offence to the comwumiity ltti igeneral."