SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE.

Evening Star, Issue 14966, 28 August 1912, Page 10

SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE.

PALMERSTON BRANCH FORAIED. There was an attendance of over 70 sportsmen at ihe meeting held in tho Town Hail on Alonday evening to hear an address on the aims and policy of the New Zealand Sports Protection League by the general secretary (Air A. A. Paane). His Worship the Mayor (Air L Beck) occupied the chair, and expressed pleasure in introducing the organiser, who for 14 years had been actively identified with sports clubs and public bodies in Southland. During the past 12 months he had been actively engaged organising the league. Air Paape said that since he had taken ! over the work of organisation over 70 | branches of th© league had been formed in all the principal towns, and everywhere the league had been received ivith acclaim. Concerning numerous misstatements that had been mads, to th© effect that the league were out in the interests of " the trade,'’ party politics, the restitution of the bookmaker, and the retention of the totalisator, the speaker elated that the league had not received, neither had they been promised, any support from “ tho trade,” and they were in no way interested either in the question of License

rested either in the question of License or Mo-license. The league were opposed to the reinstatement of the bookmaker. With regard to the totaiisator, the continuance of this method of speculation was necessarily one of the purposes of the league, and at all the meetings held in the Dominion this had been made perfectly dear; but the question of the totalisatov was by no means the sole or even the principal purpose of the league. The organisation had been formed to de- | fend and assist- sport and games of all j kinds, and not merely racing. One object was to prevent various forms of sport being wiped out altogether. The main object in the establishment of the league was for defensive purposes, and the promoters wished to influence public opinion in the interests of sport, so as to enable people to amuse themselves without molestation. On the motion of the Chairman, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Paape for his address. Mr E. Lefevre moved—" That a branch of the league be formed in Palmerston, I to be called -be Palmerston Branch of the Mew Zealand Sports Protection League." The motion was seconded by Dr Howden and carried unanimously. The Action of officers was then proceeded with, and these represent all branches of sport in the district. They are: President, Dr Howden; vice-presi-dents—Messrs E. Lefevre, W. Diack, Jas. Pagan, D. M'Donald, H. O'Neill, Win. Porteoue. Dr Harrison, and His Worship the Mayor (Mr L. Beck) ; committee— Messrs M. Allan, Jns. Moodie, Jas. Sloan, M. Power, 0. Barclay; secretary and treasurer, Mr Hector M'Leod. The meeting concluded with a hearty vote of thanks to Mr M'Leod for carrying out so successfully the preliminary arrangements, and to tjie Mayor for presiding.

At the Supreme Court (sitting in divorce) at Christchurch yesterday the following decrees were granted ; —Minnie Findlay v. Arthur Findlay, habitual drunkenness, failure to support, and habitual cruelty; Helen Smith v. Stanley Layton Smith, desertion; William Sydney Wilson v. Cissie Harriet Wilson, misconduct (Benjamin Francis Norton, named as co-respon-dent) ; Edward Fowler v. Jessie Fowler, misconduct (John Callender named as colespomdent); Albert Edward Wilson v. ■ Ellen Mabel Wilson, misconduct (co-re- ' spondent George Owen Bumey) ; Louisa j Mary Lawrence v. Herbert Arthur Lawrence, habitual drunkenness and failure to maintain ; Harry Oakley r. Nellie Oakley, misconduct; Alice Boyd v. 'William Boyd, ioiact. ' .