THE CHURCHES AND SPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 181, 30 July 1912, Page 7

THE CHURCHES AND SPORT.

(To the Kditor.) I ! Sir,—The letter in your isue of the < 20: h met, signed "V.. "l'ackington Hall" ' needs, if it does not merit, a reply. His : interpretation of the attitude of the ( . Public Mo ml Committee of I he Auckland , Ministers' Association on the subject of h sport, together with his reading of his- ; ' lurry, and hi« pose as "a religious man." i . I wiliing 10 take hie Teligion from the | | churches.' , but not his ethics, m-uke his j I letter an interesting illustration of mis-1 interpretation and tnislnstrucucm. \ Sow, it is altogether desirable that' your renders should understand the position of the Ministers' Association both in I regard In its standing in religion and I civic life of Auckland ami of .New Zea- j ; land and in relation to sport. | (I) The Auckland Ministers' Associaj tion has a membership of nearly 50! ministers resident in Auckland and j suhurlw, representing all the non-episco- j pal churches, and about ;'>O.(H)O of th« i j inhabitants. It is the most representative fathering of it.- kind in AustralasiaThat association claims the right by reaBon of its Christian character, and as be inn composed of representative, educated and intelligent citizens to take, into con- | sideration «ny question afl'ectinpr the | public welfare (party politics excluded) and to take any action in any reasonable anil lawful way to conserve such public welfare and interest. The. l'ubl're Morals Committee is elected "by that association. j and charged with the duty of earing for I the moral welfare of the community. I (2) The attitude of the association toj ward all clean, moral sport and athletics i I is one of hearty commendation and sup- j I port. lint there are some, so-called | sports that are neither clean or moral or , athletic, e.g., racinp, a.s at present con-1 ducted, a.nd pTize-ti;ihtin<r. ]l_orse-racin£ | has occasioned the growth of one of tingreatest moral, social and economic evils of the time, i.e., gambling. This Dom-in-ion is spending £3.000.000 or more annually through (he totalisator alone oa | I this -vice. Judges. ma.^Lstrails, statf«----j men. businessmen, as well as ministers of religion, rcco.cmise end decry the terrible evil. It is devastating to the economic | as well «as to the social and moral well-1 I lx>inpr of the. <-omiminrry. ],3.5-t y«ir -npoii j the recommendation of a commission, i composed of raping men various clubs j ' lost their totalisator permits roducin^i the rsn-rnc days to iiT>o. Notlrwitlistand- j 1 ing the abolition of a number of racing j days the amount expended upon totali- j sator gambling increased and the book-1 maker has been by no means dead, nor is he, as the Pol'w-e Court, records will show. When. therefore, wo see the Government of the day extend the facilities for gambling, we deem it our duty as citizens and as ministers of tJie : Gospel, to make and to keep on making,] ■ the most strenuous protest, and to do I not apologise for so doing. Your eorre- • spondent "K. P. Hall," whilst "disclaim- ! ing a threatening or offensive attitude," • threatens the Ministers' Association that J h<? and others who "take their religion ) from the obnrches" but not their ethics. ■ will promote '"powerfni organisations" ' to rnn Sunday excursions and Sunday , concerts "of ri.n elevating character" if 5 the association continues "this mosquito ■ campaign" of ex-pressing its convictions regarding the moral evils of the time. Such threats aTe worthy of the interests Mr. Hall advwa>U\.*. Permit mc, in conclusion, to draw the ' attention of your readers to the latest move by the Auckland Racing Oub. It ' has don-e away with a soven furlong ' rn.ce (one of vie r_pi:ulle sprints) n^-ains^ ? which so nmch ha.~ t:e<-u s;ud. but in order that their tote receipts might not '" FuiTer through their magnanimity, they ? j have removal the embargo on jockeys - riding in .hunt club races. Now. gentle- • men '"riders to riiit- in such races have • always boon few, and, therefore, the '.fields" have been small, and consequently

the toialisaior investmeirts have been small. Increasing the seven furlongs to -igfct furlongs will shut out some entries, rat admitting jockeys to the status of riders or reducing gentlemen iders to the status of jockeys—■which 3 it? will increase the number of entries j n hurrt ekib races, and therefore the ] ote investments. I ■wonder what the : •eirtlemen riders tMnk of it.—l am. etc., . HOWAKD ELLIOTT. j