SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15861, 26 February 1912, Page 4

SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE.

TO THB EDITOR. Sir, —The speakers at the meeting of the above League do protest too much. If the League is not for the protection of the totalisator, gambling and Sabbath breaking, why continually harp on these subjects? The speakers a* the first meeting at which the Christchurch branch was formed, urged its formation to prevent interference with their gambling and Sabbath breaking propensities, any other objects mentioned were simply excuses to blind the eyes of the publio to the real aims, which were stated in all their baldness without any clouding of the issues, as is now attempted. Tho grossly exaggerated statement of the general secretary that '' there was little doubt that when the extremists had abolished drinking and gambling they would turn their attention to preventing anyone from doing anything but attend church on Sunday" will show to anyone who is not blindly or wilfully biassed that what I have stated above as the main objects of the League is substantially correct. i Evidently numbers of innocent people

are being drawn into a net which will compel them to use their influence in a ' directly contrary direction to their real sentiments and opinions. The secretary stated that the League's object was to keep sport clean. If this is so, then why is no attempt made to purify sport? White-washing and covering up the evils, which have degraded and are degrading sport, is not tho way to carry out tho alleged objects of the League. Of this we had a sample directly after the branch of the League was formed in Christchurch, without a word of protest from the body formed to " keep sport clean."' The remark of the secretary that "politicians would not bo likely to jeopardise their seats by setting themselves against this body of public opinion" is simply an impertinent threat which in itself should utterly condemn such an organisation, which might do good if it lived for clean

sport, but with its present leaders wil? only stand for the degradation of sporj and the corruption of our politics.— i am, etc., CLEAN SPORT.