CORRESPONDENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 3379, 21 November 1911, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

SPORTS PROTECTION LEAGUE. (To the Editor.) Sir, —It is with regret that I feel called upon to draw attention to a statement made in the Prohibition pamphlet, the ‘‘New Era,” casting a reflection on the New Zealand Sports Protection League. As local secretary of the league, I cannot allow such a questionable statement as that attributed to me go unchallenged and pass without comment. The article goes on to say, ‘‘That the local secretary of the S.P.L. was exceedingly angry at our references to his organisation in our last issue” ; also, ‘‘The local secretary first of all denied that the league’s canvassers were also canvassing for the liquor ring fit the same time. Now he admits that this is so.” In the first place, I could not admit what is not so, and, secondly, I wish to refute and emphatically deny the statement. In the first instance I met Mr. Locliore, the editor of the ‘‘New Era,” and told him that lie had absolutely no right to publish a statement which he could not substantiate, and his answer was, “As long as you have canvassers going round for the liquor organisation so shall I write about the Sports Protection League.” And to that intimation 1 immediately told him he was unfair, and that the" league had no connection whatever with any liquor organisation of any kind. I explained to him my canvassers were canvassing to enrol members for the league, and that was all as far as I was concerned, and if they were talking prohibition or anti prohibition I could not help it. All I know is they were canvassing for the X.Z.S.P. League, and that is what they are paid for. In conclusion I want to point out to members and the general public that the New Zealand Sports Protection League is not a liquor organisation, nor is it connected with it in any way. Mr. H. D. Bell, K.C., a supporter "of no-license and president of our board of control, has made this quite plain, and it is most unfair to repeat these unjustified statements re the New Zealand Sports Protection League. —I am, etc., HERBERT H. DE COSTA.