A SPORTING PROTEST.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 406, 15 January 1909, Page 9

A SPORTING PROTEST.

. Sir,—-So .the very latest infliction we.are to have put upon us is the • prohibition .of the kinematograph. Now,- I ask, ■' are not these gentlemen coining it a little, too strong with'.their anti this and anti that, and'are they unable to realise that the grandmotherly sort of legislation they seem to bp in favour of 'TV-ill have a tendency to make New Zealandors too soft for-this battlo of life?I would like to point out.that the Duke of Wellington is- oredited with saying /that ''Waterloo was really won oh the playgrounds of England," meaning, of course,'/that the Britishers',love of.'sport, and physical contests had, developed his. bghting.instincts,, bo that he was able,to face the headlong charges of Napoleon's cavalry with calmness' and: courage.. If ever' the; Japs, storm these unfortunate islands,; I am: doubtful, if, prayers and lamentations will avail us anything, but an armed nation, with, the individual fighting qualities of Tommy'' Burns, would certainly count for something. .'•'"-.•■: ': The inconsistency of some of the petitioners is delightful; /On Sunday they will wade through a:.chapter of the- Old Testament, where.champion Gideon slew forty, and four thousand (more'or less). Midianites,'"'.'and spared neither' women nor child, and will not wink,an eyelashi,' Yet,on Monday, when they road tho report of a comparatively harmless boxing contest, they: are off. hot foot to Sir Joseph.Ward with a 1 most ridiculous protest, ihe faculty of courage on combativeness- is governed :by,the,iaw of exercise (see Parwin s Origin of Species), and it follows that any, physical'contests meeting strenuous opposition must' 1 call this facultry into play, thereby developing it-; or maintaining its efficiency.. / -.];../■ .•/ ,-••■'.. ■"•..■■...•:,.,■.■,;, r Nations that .have laokcd courage, or al-. lowed ..it to deteriorate" have quickly been conquered, :nb matter,how;high/their arts or culture may havo been.. Tho Peruvians and weeks are cases, in point* so I heartily. agree with: tho Biblical, quotation.which/adjures us to buard ye your.battlements."—l am, etc., V:. I ,'i v r-- V :: -i /;:;. RaimOnd;tune. - ketone, January.6.' "■•- ■■:.•'•!">;.';'• ' ■;':,■ ;■•.,• ;■• [We.. have received similar: letters 'couched in the same'strain; though in more violent from other correspondents. The writers all protest, against/.the: attempts' at interference with wha,t. ,thev term, "manlv sport."]' , ■■'■■:■. ■ J