PRIZE-FIGHTING EXHIBITIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2861, 13 January 1909, Page 14

PRIZE-FIGHTING EXHIBITIONS.

A STRONG PROTEST. WELLINGTON. January 6. ! Publication of the details of the recent ' prize-fight between Burns and Johnson j and the announcement that the fight is j to be- reproduced per medium of the kinematograph, has led to a number of , prominent citizens combining and sending 1 the following letter of protest, which explains itself, to the -Prime Minister :^— ; Wellington, January 5, 1909. Sir Joseph Ward, Prime Minister. Dear Sir, — The undersigned- citizens I of Wellington desire to urge on your 1 notice the fact that a brutal Drize-fight. ' held at Sydney on Basing Day is to be ! reprodaGed by the kinematograph in . New Zealand. Many representative organs of the English, Australian, and New Zealand press have denounced in scathing terms the repulsive and degrading character of this contest. We urge upon you as the head of the Government that the reproduction in the Dominion of a thing so loathsome will have an exceedingly degrading effect on the people, and that it will stimulate appreciation of what in British lands has for long been regarded with extreme abhorrence. We notice that the Australian Government proposes taking action to prevent such brutalities occuring in future. If the kinematograph reproduction is permitted in New Zealand we shall be in a worse plight than Australia. There the prize-fight was witnessed only once : here it be witnessed as often as the proprietors of the films care to exhibit them. We trust you will take action in time to ! protect the people of this country from this utterly demoralising spectacle. The names of the signatories follow, arranged alphabetically. If time had permitted these could have been added to indefinitely, but as the matter is one re- , quiring haste it was thought better to forward these at once as representative of the feeling of a very large section of this community. Among the signatories are j Archbishop Redwood, Bishop Wallis, and othei* clergymen. professors, doctors, ■ teachers, merchants, members of Parlia* I ment, and other citizens of standing.