CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 205, 28 August 1909, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

RE DEVONPORT FOOTBALL GROUND. (To the Editor.) Sir, —After reading in. your issue of yesterday the report of the meeting of the officers of the Auckland Rugby League, it is clear to mc that there has been a misconception of the words used by mc before the Devonport Borough Council on Tuesday night. With your perimasion, I desire to put the matter in its proper light. When I made reference to the "Gaslight Sports," I was then speaking of the Devonport' Albion Club, and of that Club only, and the wos.ds I used were:—"Some of those who controlled it (that is, the Albion Club) were not unconnected ■with the 'Gaslight Sports. , " In using these words, I had in mind the information that some of the leading spirits of the Albion Club had at one time been vfairly constant competitors at the "Gaslight Sports." My object in making this reference was that members of the Council might appreciate the view that those who preferred to run foot races for money rather than for sport might play football from the same motive. Clearly this reference and this view -were relevant to the important issue then before the Council, namely, whether the Council should let a public recreation ground to amateur sportsmen who desired to use it for genuine recreation, or to a body of persons into whose rules and ideas the money element enters largely. I did not refer to Messrs. Grey, Gaudin, and McLean, or any other officers of the League by name, or office, or otherwise. I did not when before the Council, nor do I now, connect them or the League as a body with the matter. I would also point out that in the eye of the law there was nothing illegal or immoral in the "Gaslight Sports," as being sports carried on for money prizes, and they may be carried on to-day with the sanction of the law, provided there is no betting on the sports ground. Moreover, so far as I am aware, there is no official record of any breach of the law by any of the promoters or controllers of these sports. My sole object in referring to the "Gaslight Sports" at all was to em- | phasise the distinction between amateur sport and professionalism. I trust that the controversy -will ] make citizens alert to see that local bodies entrusted with the control of , public recreation grounds steadfastly | prefer recreation to money getting, and faithfully execute trusts which before now a jealous law has pronounced sacred.—l am, etc., SELWYX MAYS.