SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15820, 19 July 1913, Page 10

SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE.

BOARD OF CONTROL.

{Pxe Unhid Fkes3 Assocutios.)

WELLINGTON, July 18.

At tho annual meeting of the Board of Control of the Sports Protection League, the president (Sir George Clifford) occupied the chair, and there were present—the Hon. Dr Collins, Messrs C. P. Skerrett, .1. U. Duncan, J. H. B. Coatee, and C W. Tringham, The report and balance sheet were adopted.

Sir George Clifford said the report jvas very encouraging, as showing the wide*extension of the league in the dominion. The support' of the community in , every section of sport had been rivcu in no halfhearted way, and the advantages accruing from the existence of the league had been made more apparent wherever a. question had arisen affecting the permanence or interests of any 6port.

The Dunedin branch forwarded a remit asking that the board endorse the application of tho Orago Hunt Club, which, by a deputation, recently waited upon the Prime Minister with a request that a subsidy of £250 a year be made payable to each of tho 16 clubs in the dominion from the tax imjiosed on totalisator investments. It was pointed out that the revenue from this source last year amounted to £75,611.—1t was resolved to lay before tho Prime Minister the fact that hunt clubs had a special claim for consideration by the State because of the' encouragement which the clubs give to the breeding of a type of horso of great value to the community in time of peace and of special value to tho country in time of war.

The Southland branch submitted a comprehensive 6chemo of challenge trophies for competition among tho various branches of sport throughout the dominion on similar lines to that inaugurated by the branch in connection with Rugby football—After consideration it was resolved to a6k for further reticulars.

The Auckland branch requested that the board make reprcsentat ; ons to the Government without delay in the interest of sport to protect Pliimpton coursing and gun clubs frflm the misleading attaek made by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at its annual meeting held at Wellington in May last, a.nd to take tho necessary steps to counteract any legislation that might be brought down to prohibit these sports.—The board decided to act. in tho direction indicated.

The Dunedin branch requested that practical sympathy be given to the Dunedin Coursing Club in the event of a prosecution on tho grounds of cruelty being made by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals.—lt was unanimously decided to comply with the request tinder a certain stipulation, which- is to be conveyed to the Dunedin branch.