THE BIG FIGHT

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 398, 6 January 1909, Page 9

THE BIG FIGHT

JOHNSON'S EASY VICTORY,

GATE TAKINGS NEARLY £26,000,

(POOU OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

Sydnoy, December 31. Tho big fight, concerning which Sydney has talked persistently to tho exclusion ot almost , every other, topic for the past fortnight or more, is over. • Burns • went into tho ring, to defend the ohampionship, tho favourite at odds of 7 to 4 on. Ho came out hopelessly beaten. Johnson did what lie liked with him—outclassed' him in every department of the game, proved far too strong for him, and quite equal to him in the science of boxing. JOHNSON TOO BIG. Johnson was altogether too big . for his opponent, ovor whom he towered nearly a foot,'and, with tho advantage■ of 2st. in weight, a-long length of black humanity, with tremendous hitting power in his arms, that reached out all over the place and broke through Burns's dofenco with appar-, ently tho greatest case. Burns tried all his science in vain. He danced round his man directly the round oponed, and invariably hit first blow, whilst his man merely waited for him, with his left-hand half extended, and ready for instant use whenever the right moment came. Even when the two men got to grips, and Burns tried his in-fighting, for whioh he is famed, his .blows seemed to make no impression upon the< black man, -who let him welt away at his ribs while he derisively taunted him, or grinned .at the crowd. . This continual insolence that Johnson maintained during the fight detracts greatly from the merit of bis victory, Ho proved himself ■ undoubtedly a clever fighter, but he succeeded in conveying to the thousands who ; watched him the impression that he had a' perfectly adequate, idea of his own cleverness. MComo on, Tommy! Why don't you fight? I-thought you were a great in-fighter!" Suoli was,the contemptuous:way in \yhich Johnson chattered to his eneiny, whilst lie gave him his-punishment.. At times his remarks were .positively insolent. "' Ho 'would nod -to acquaintances .in the crowd; and ask, "Ain'+ li;clever?". ..This bombast excited the resentment of- tlio- spectators, already suffi-ciently-depressed •by the defeat of the white man;•'

THE CROWD'S SYMPATHY WITH BURNS.. \\

"Manifestly, the crowd wanted to see Burns win. not merely because tbey had their money op him, but because his. opponent was blackskinned. V-Then, when they saw the; man they, had regarded as invincible knocked about and punished as a - seven-year-old boy might;be.'..chastised,-by his- mother, they were naturally down-hearted. Again, thoir admiration was aroused by. the remarkable gameness with which Burns took ..his . pun-; ishment: . Never was greater- courage shown

iiitbe ring. ".In the thirteenth round-his face was, swollen! and - distorted from the heavy punches he had received, and he stood dazed' and trembling,. and seemed:- likely to fall when the- gong sounded, ■■. but he nevergave'iri. But ho was' quite hopelessly beaten. Johnson's immense reach enabled'him to hit Burns■ wherever ho pleased, while at close quarters,--. whore most -of the'-'fighting was dbno,,tho little man waß powerless ; agaui6t .his opponent,, who. while escaping from his clinches with ono hand, and hitting -him on the,'hoadj would deliver resounding blows on his back with- tho other, with the quickness, of lightning.' ■•■-,'■ /_-.•... _.... "i It was ft complete,-, absolute smashing,- and the audience winced to see it administered

by a black to a white man. Thus, you may imagine , how little prepared those :at the ringside-were ito'hear the insolent taunts of Johnson, who kept'on. clowning as he . hammered his foe.- 1 The crowd hooted,. and, when iq. •' tho : midst of some- effective blows on Burns's body,' Johnson 'looked up to inquire if he wasn't clever, tho hooting became vigorous, Everybody agreed that the negro was n clever: fighter;'- nobody wanted attention ' drawn to tho; fact—least of all, by,'the man himself. ■ ■ . '..•'. . ■ THE END—AND AFTER. • It 'is recognise^-.that the;;pol.ico stopped tho fight;at-the rjgljt -time. ithjnKa lie had a-; chance" oveiv'then^andtliat 1 ifvilio. police had not come in, he iriifjht.havo won! Nobody clso thinks so. Good judges, soy. he, was. beaten from-, the first, round, and that he exhibit , the rudimentary principles of the gome, because,he .was not allowed-to— tho other man was far toostrong for him. Burns went : down twice in the first round— ohce from an uppercut by Johnson, just as tho referee was trying to separate tho men, so that it looked as if the fall was really the-rcsult of a collision with tho official, and' the second time when Johnson-hit him heavily 'on the chin. Ho-.was up quickly,.but the fall rattled him a good deal.' In the fifth round, ho was shoved clown, but did not go to the ground, and his leg doubled under him, with the'rosult that 'ha • 6prained hia anklo.' However/ he. fought on gamely against tho ■tremendous, odds opposed to him, When the 'fight was over, ho'was exhausted, his oyes •black, his face swollen and disfigured, and'it ■ was said that Johnson had broken his jaw —though . this report, proved to . be quits wrong. Burns was about as usual next day, and on Monday he bore no trace of-tho wait-ing,-.exoept a blackness of his left eye.. This, shows what training does for a man. Some of the blows ho took would havo probably (tU.Iod an ordinary man, out. of .training: Burns waß all right next day. Johnson, as might have been expected from . what, has; "boon already told, emerged from tho 'fight' practically sonthelesß. -;' -: .■ ' . By the; terms of the agreoment, Burns' receives £6000, and Johnson £1500. - It was only on condition that lie received £6000; win or lose, that Burns undertook to meet the black- man, and as the ohampion of the world , when', tho match-was made, he'had the right to olaim the. larger amount, of course. . Johnson was not particularly eager, for the money, but he wanted to be the champion. Now he is tho champion, : and may ; own price. He'has entered into a five weeks' engagement to appear at the Sydney Tivoli, where he is 'attracting crowded 'audiences in exhibitions of sparring, and .after that ho will I, go .to England for his , postponed match with Lan'gford. ' i : 'i; Even yet ' the Sydney ■ public has not' accepted the; defeat'of ;Burns "with equanimity. .'•Whbrie'ver. "h|' 'appears. Ka, : J's .received with great','cheering,'-Whilst the.. reception given to' his ;conqueror 'on. his' first night at; the Tivoli after the fight was of the mixed order, shoots mingling witfr.tha cheers, ' A RECORD HOUSE. ' / ;Tho purse put up for the fight was the largest iii tho world, it is said,- £7500. About 1 17,000 tho battle—tho full ' capacity of the Stadium—at prices ranging from £10 to 10s. ■ In tho streets, and :on the high ground outside; there must have been gathered another 25,000 people. About five thousand;'of these were: men who wero prepared to pay "their 10s. each to go on,'out t to their disappointment there was no room for. thorn, From ' 2 o'clock in the morning •there were people waiting for tho doors to be opened,- ' They spent the time sleeping, or drinking'whisky;from tho hotting they had' brought with'them, or eating pies sold by an enterprising pieman ' who came out from • town, and whose stock was - cleared out be-' foro no knew where he was. From 6 o'clock in tho rooming,.'when tho doors were opened, till 11 o'clock,)'when the fight began, 300 carloads of -people were conveyed by. tho tramway from' the city to the Stadium. .This meant that . between 16,000 and .17,000: people wero carried by tra l mcars, and then there were thousands who walkod. Tho takings at the fight caroo to nearly £26,000 -—a record for any publio entertainment in Australia. ' A /WOMAN'S VIEWS.

Though thore is, a tacit prohibition against the- presence]of women at these fights, half a dozen, it is said,, managed to make their .way in. Mrs. Jack London,, the wife of the novelist, went quite openly with, her husband, who vrote an account of the fight for tlio London' "Daily Mail" and .other papers, and eat bosido him at the ring. ,Her verdict is that thpro Was nothing brutal about the fight;,'that it was nicely and ■■, properly conducted,' and that there was nothing objectionable in it, or in the remarks of the crowd. "Sho says that the. crowd was vory nico to her, and adds, '.'There was nothing that would cause a woman to blush, or that would.wf" ** mefromabing to Been.another

fight," • As her husband' is interested in prize-fighting, sho takes an interest in it, too, and told a " Sunday Times " inter- '■> viewor that Mr. London and she do a little boxing themselves, putting on the gloves in the yard sometimes after tea. Mrs, London thought Burns " the grittiest man sho had ever soon.' - Jack London also says Burns made a wonderful fight, but had no chance from the opening round.. , $ BURNS'S FUTURE MOVEMENTS! t- Burns, who lias amassed. £40,000 by his fighting, had announced that he would re--10 tire, but it.is said that he is now anxious.to to meet Johnson again. If ho does, -the rei- suit will probably bo the same. It is stated id'-that Burns has bought, or is thinking of id buying, a farm in the Yass district. This to is near the Federal capital site. The exchampion is evidently a good judgo of land values. . . is ANOTHER ACCOUNT. a , 11 BURNS'S COURAGE. s! ?'. 10 fi' es to hand from Sydney conJ. taming detailed accounts of the big fight for r _ the boxing championship of the world, beis slroon5 lroon • -^ urDS . (Canada) , and Johnson (America), arrived last evening. We cull • t the following from the "Bulletin" - As tliey came together people got their j first ohanca to realise the great disparity between the men, Johnson's magnifioent body and ophidian head and face, fairly- towered over Burns, who seemed a mere boy in his teens besido him. As Johnson went in he ' smilod and paused. "Aal right, Tahmmy!" ' he laughed, shooting out his spar-like left for Burns's ribs. . Quick as lightning Burns's ' right fell on his biceps and took the weight out of the-blow. ' As. he swung round to " draw, out tliev clinched, broke loose, and, s like a flash Johnson with a tremendous right upward swing, caught Burns fair under the ® chin, lifted him off his feet,, and sent him to the floor in a sitting jwsture. This was the really decisive blow of tho j fight, for, although Burns was not knocked 1. out, he was obviously dazed —so dazed that he lost his ring craft, his hitting power, and n his speed, Springing up'he went for Johnn son like a tiger. But it was blind, dazed ? fury, which Johnson met with straight lefts £ and right crosses till Burns at last succeeded in clinching. Then Johnson uppercut him y again and again. Burns trfed for uppercuts " and belly rips," but Johnson'had got that 0 far-famed arm lock on him, and Burns's - blows had no strength. At the gong Burns . went to his corner in a very, bad way, ..and. his attendants rubbed him with champagne. _ 'In the .next round' Johnson cake-walked to meet Burns, who came in determinedly, and. ' landed a few useless, blows on the black,. " ophidian face. Excepting that Burns seemed . to have recovered some of his . speed and ;' showed' wonderful skill at evading some right ' swings, crosses, and other messengers 7 of sudden death, the second round was not r much bettor than the first. Tho audience 3 sighed as .it realised that Burns and Johnson were not. in the same .class. Someone 1 remarked that Charlie Mitchell was' up' ' against greater odds in weight'and size when [ he drew with John' L.' Sullivan; but an d&+&. '' fighter sadly shook' his hair ' and remarked J that Mitchell didn't 1 lead for the big man'ii head. In the clinches Burns's characteristic • attitude was" one of 'absolute helplessness i." 1 Johnson defending his stomach and avoiding 1 uppercuts with the'greatest of ease',, A moro one-sided struggle it would be impossible to 1 imagine. Burns was plucky as a'lion, but the blaok man was as strong as a locomotive; The only bright feature of the display was the heroism' with which 'Burns took his : smashing, and gamely came again and again, : He seemed t0..-'realise his. inability to make an impression on Johnson, who ' occasionally stood quite still, with his hands down, talking and jeering at him, while Burns skirled round looking for 'an opening' that never came. The black man stood like a tower, and let Burns do the fighting. He had evidently read-Burns's book. It was not till the fourth round that Burns sufficiently - recovered from that first knockdown punch to make a.,.really dangerous at- - tack. • -Then ho caught '.Johnson over .the ' heart with- a heavy left, audi hauling off landed him a weak right on the jaw, Johnson was quieter for the rest of that round, but ■it was his round.all the same. ' , .' Then commencod. a : most r beastly exhibition' of, rubbing it'lnto a, man who, was fighting- ; a" game''battle, but: was altogether overmatched. Tho coloured mass .was .quite unruffled,' and determined to impress the fact' on this white trash, whose champion ho was : beating. l Frequently he would hold Burns helpless against him whilst he ex-, .'cliiiiigod gibes with "the crowd, grinning as .he ' did' so/and then twist Burns into the position he wanted and smite. "Come on, leddle Tahmmy," he laughed in the ninth; "come right* hero where T want 'you!"' and he swung the' struggling white, 'into; the -John-' sonian corner, where Burns;broke l ' loose and feebly uppercut. "No • good,'Tahmmy!" guyed Johnson, "I'll teach you!" and lie threw Burns off "and uppercut. him ' twice with his right, and bashed him on the side of the heait with the left. ;'. - In the: tenth round Burns mado -a fine rally. Feinting with his left, he suddenly hurled in a right for Johnson's jaw with Alibis weight' behind it. Johnson tried -to meet it with his left, missed, but ducked in time to let the white man's blow go over his' neok. As their bodies' crashed together Johnson gurgled: "Ah, that's'what I like,'- : and he smashed Burns heavily in the ribs with his right." Outgeneralled, over-reached, ; overmatched, in strength, insulted and treatec like a helpless mouse by a great black cat, Burns came lip.-heroically to take his punishment. , He'..would light to "the bitter end, and all that a' man could do in the face of such overwhelming odds and in tho midst 1 of utter disaster ,Noah lirusso did. And all tho. time ho continued to attack, to lead, to ' try and force the fight. .It was magnificent, . but.it wasn't pugilism, and.all.against the •: tactics laid down in his .own book. The black conqueror was beginning to i wonder if ho hadn't played too long. .'He rushed in" and at . last seemed io be making a geuuine effort to end it. But Burns, marvellous to relate, seemed to 'bo'Blowly '' recovering his speed, and evaded wonder- j fully. .It lie had been, content to evade it , would have-been better if not well, but; he ; continued to .lead and meet rush with rush," to clinch, and, in-fight; in all of-which'pro-ceedings he got the .worst of . it, till he became quite helpless and : clung to the ropes. . . ! -...It was in one of his. rushes that John- J son, while Burns clung to the ropes, struck the champion twice on the apparently injured jaw, and knocked him down with such force ! that he rolled over .twice. M'lntosh bounded, across the ring, and bending down over him ; commenced to count. Johnsonj who all , through, although ungenerous and objection- v able in his attitude towards his opponent , fought with scrupulous regard for the rules' f retired to his corner, and. with his hands t resting on his hips watohed complacently. 1 He thought it was-a knock-out. , ? , :As M'lntosh counted, he waved time with „ his right hand, forefinger extended, "One— I two"—right on to eight,: when Burns 5 scrambled up and staggered towards John- h son. Johnson bounded from. his corner like „ a panther. '"Finish him, Jack!" yelled his ~ second as Johnson swept down like a cyclone on the staggering, almost helpless, man, and „ with a left smash on the forehead knocked him against the ropes.. He was just swinging his right for; that battored, swollen cheek again, when the Superintendent of V Police soared up the ropes and waved his B crop aloft. "Stop,- Johnson!" bellowed the si M'lntosh in a voice fit to wake the dead, and E Johnson's arm swung back as tbo attendants lc swarmed into the ring. Johnson hurried to P the centre, and M'lntosh, pointing to him si roared. "I declare Johnson winner on C points!"' . : c< ."■■■■ —--- ' bi THE NEW CHAMPION. Z —B

"NEVER TROUBLED AT ANY TIME." Jack Jobns_6n was. naturally very much elated over his success, and didn't hesitate to remark to. the "Sunday Times" interviowef: "I told you so;" and so he did. And Johnson told others'so, too—some of them his; particular, friends; but they were not too ready to profit by the information. One of them, said to have speculated pretty liberally .on., .tho_ coloured man's; prospects, was busy laying it all off at considerable loss during the past week., and,, others who had to holdiou because ImeA'- could ;not unload-at

in; anything like a'-reasonable price, were. >oiri-, •V pellod to keep .the money* and, are no!?, no 1 ' r- doubt, • shaking hands-with ,lo tolling friends how Blirowd they, we ro.; ;,0 ■ in ( The night: boforo the in sorts of rumours about regarding possibilir id ties, and so strong had some of them bcconio, 11s that it. was said purchased. £5 tticketK wpre* ce on offer at £2 each, How foolish' thoso :p,epp)o; must feel now I • :/;!■!;, • Johnson's showing iix the ring yesterday, gave the lie to the reports, that Tie was jnot--18 training'properly, and endorsed to tho letter,; f~ what • "fhd-Amateur,"- of the aI- ; ways had-to say when mentioning the subject;, e ; But this by the way. To got back t-o JoHn*s son. 'V •..-•-"'■-•ii-i-?.. j, "Confidont?" remarked the new , champion j. -of the world. "yes, I felt', very, sure.vbar; ,j accidents, and they happen anywhere.- JBurna is a game fighter, but I had-it -on him too much. No ; he never troubled!'ime'at'ariy. time, and as for in-fightirigj well, "I;.don't' think he showed me any points,! 1 ' this-. with; a broad smile that revealed those glistening, gold-mounted ivories which were bo ! n _ able during the contest. or Questioned concerning his future, Johnson l€ _ said . there was a very remunerative ' enm gagement with Mr. Rickards. to fulfil; then ill Be had to keep. a contract" made-;. with..-the; National Sporting Club of London to meet: )ir Sam Langford on Derby night..: e- Johnson was inclined to exult over his vie-, ly tory at the ,expense of the defeated man, and 2d said things which,, it is to bo hoped, bereis grets to-day. 11 • ' j l ,® The allegation about that "yellow streak" I ranlsles iii the coloured man's breast, and; he. »t boasted that, he. beat Burns "bit by bit" to 'J show how mubh "yellow'.' there Was in him (Johnson). The champion was plainly for--"- «> getful that, if' there is any yellow 'in his O) make, the,time to discover it .was not'when"t everything went so much his/own'way that': whe could, win as he liked— I "bit" by bit." Had 111 Johnson been pinched at any timo, tho question as to the existence of-a "yellow streak'* might have been settled. '' xl it . ■ : -" l ! ~ id BURNS INTERVIEWED. id ts ADMITS JOHNSON'S SUPERIORITY. , *[ "I did my, best against'big odds," said r~ the ex-champion, when spoken to by a ? " Sunday - Times" representative. "John- , son had a great pull over ino in weight and ® height. I, scaled 12st. OJIb. on Friday, and, , this morning, the balance showed list; ;13i1b., „■ so really I should be. fighting-in a lower-: weight division than ho. . - ' "I gave the, black fellow a chance of winc ning the championship in accordance; with a j promise mado early last year that , just so j soon as all the top-notch white fighters in, ,t' sjght were acoommodated his opportunity • s would 'come. I need not have done that. As you are' aware,, the cdlour line. was drawn , e very strongly bjr all modern champions who j. preceded me, : arid had I followed suit none--6 • could or would have raised the slightest"obp jection. ~ V n "When I signed to meet' Johnson I did j, so with my eyes: open. I knew liis size, ;bulk, :/ ,[ skill, arid strength; but I- had. faith\ in the - :,j powers "that landed, me where I was, and, : (i n'hilo anticipating tho toughest job of my j; - career, it seemed to .mo: that" it I ,'might be g faced successfully. '-' -.J. ■ j, o <"Johnson is exulting, is he?. Well, that's, 0 nothing to his creditV and will certainly....give ; t hira no lift in -popular fayour!jior,. add lustro. .... to the title he nas-won from'orie Jialf a 'foot , e shorter and much over 2st. lighter :than him-. ;, self, . Men who should know, tell me .John- ! e son; weighs every ounce of -15st., „but,' I, am a not offering ally'excuses, I-.drily, wish, to show f that there's ,-riothing for the. big fellow .to - throw bouquets at fiimseelf about... Had .he 1 . been any way near my incheOnd poundage, r I guess there!would have bM|i,.np;new,,'ch3m-! , pion to-day. -. "Noj rcertainly-did not'.:'Hiink,rdid my-- . self justice-in.'the fight. .Ttfat' punch iri-the. ' 3 first round had me rattled' bpdly for a time,- - and I.never,-Teally.recovered,from-its-effects,- • - Again, iir one or Mother of the? earlier rounds, 3 the ankle you saw. Patsy'Bvfike* rubbing just E now' screwed under me, an^fl,Wouldn't get l a fair rate of speed on. Oncej after lletting ~ t the trouble . tho pace, but had to tho'ipain, was so severe.'', The ankle referred:to..was l. ccrtainly in a bad way, it 'ver?,, angry _ ;■ and" much, puffed..-!'; appearance,';' :,arid '^gave":[ - Tommy's , attendants; a' gM,d''.! : deal:'f- ! i 'more;, - trouble'thati "did his swolleri yface,' : .' y, ; ;.'! t' • ' Natiirally,',!.'the,,, defeated, : ;'man,was'.' very" ' i -much broken ,up,'but he w.iirgetLoverlthaty. ' 1 as he is a brai)jy;fello>v, arid. has go'od.friends; ,- - who M-epre'seut the position.: to. him', in a pro- > per light.:. .! '!r. : . : > i ■ ' - "You people here in Sydney are ;the kind-' ) est':in 'the world, -T thinkj'';'isaid : as. j ihe splashed!the. water of a-hot ; > him. "I'U"rieyof .forget the treatment thdt! 'j ■' great. crow.dlueoorded mo,'-. at ,! tHe/- Stadium'" I this.afterndqri,', and.the "way^tlie^Xaite^for- ' and bheered me as I left relieved -J i' ache caused by'defeat considerably. ■ ' ■ ; j i "My future ?! ,1 will havo to .consider i i that, but I can tell you I am through with boxing, and'no one is more pleased-than i Mrs. Burns. V ■ -" r "No, there's'"no one man';ra'-'sight with' a" [. chance against Johnson j ho is sure to hold \ ! his position for 'a long time' if ;he looks s after" i himself." '.' V . VIEWS OF CONTEST OBJECTED TO.:< 1 . - • - . .• ( PROTEST TO SIE JOSEPH WARD. c The details of -the recent prize-fight - be- ' ; tiveen Burns and Johnson, and the announce- c riient that ;the fight is to be 1 reproduced per • medium of the ; kinematograph, . lias led. to, a' j number of prominerit citizens combining antl-,.-. sending the fdlowing'letterof protest, which r explains itself, to the Prime Minister , j Wellington; January 5, 1909. . -: Sir Joseph- Ward, Prime Minister. ~ . Dear Sir,—The undersigned citizens of I Wellington desire to urge on your notice the fact that.the brutal prize-fight held in Syd- ' ney on Boxiug'Day is to be reproduced, by kinematograph in New Zealand. Many! f presentative,organs, of the English press, the f Australian press, and the New Zealand press o have denoiiriced inVscathing terms,,the repul- . ( sivo and degrading character of this contest, a Wo urge upon-you as tho hoad of the-Go- q vernineut that the reproduction ..in, the/ Do-., ;f, minion of a thing so loathsome will exceedingly degrading'effect on the jjeople, t: arid • that it-will;: stimulate . appreciation -of. .'a what, in British lands, has 'been for long regarded with; extreme abborrenco. tWe notice that the Australian Government <• proposes taking action to prevent such brutalities occurring in the'future. If the - binematograph.-reproduction is permitted in New; Zealand we shall be in 4 worse plight S eVBn than Australia. There the prize-fight was witnessed orico. Here it will be wit-, ne'ssed' as often as the . proprietors of the .= i films care to exhibit'them. - We trust you will take action .in timo to protect tho people of this country from this; utterly demoral- '. ising spectacle. Tho names'of the signatories .which follow 0 ) are- arranged alphabetically. Vlf time had w Sermitted this, could have been added to in- V( efinitefy, .but:as;tlie matter is ono requiring haste it was thought better to forward these , w at once as ; representative of! the! feeling of a ]j] very large section'of this community. ' t{ We propose to hand a copy of this docu- , ment to the press. . .: ■■■ - . Wo are, yours respeotfully, .'•-.Signed) - ..J. ; 0- W T . Aitken, president . Y;M.O.A.;••• :W. Allan, membor Education.'W Board ; W. Chapple, M.8., MRC S , phv- W sician | J Elliott, M.8., physician; T. H. I J l ' Easterfield, Ph. D., Professor, Victoria Collogo; J. D.D., Moderator Wellington '■ Preßbytery ; -T. H.; Gill, M.A., LL.B.j In- ad spector of Sohools ;:J. Reed Glasson,. Terrace J" Congregational Church; J. Godber, city at councillor; J. T,. Harkness, president Chamr j/' ber of Commerce,; A., Hoby, president New . .Zealand Dental ; Association;"' 1 'A: 'Wilson JS Hogg, M.Pm physician ; H. N'.t Holmes, sec- •" rotary Y.M.O.A:; F. W. secretary :Noir Zealand, Alliance; ;H,.B,,Kirk L MiA.;!!Profes-; ',S? sor, Victoria College; _C. M. Luke, M;L.C. ; •: r J. P.i Luke, M.P., city councillor; M. D. Menelaus, contractor; D. MacGavin, M.D.- -5j F.R.C.S., physician; J. M'Kerrdw, ox-SuK- Sj veyor-Genoral; J. J. North,' Baptist Church; -ffi D; R. Picken, M.A,,-.Professor) 'Viiitona Col- ' p!t lege; Fraiii:is Redwood/S.M.i,Archbishop' of T ; Wellington; G.!SliirtclifTo, \city^cotmcillor: ™ Frederick Wellington (Bishpp)';~A.''P.' Web- . j ster, manager, Bank of Australasia'; :W. J. i Williams u : president; ,Churcb' o Qdiiicil; B. A. Th Wright, iI.P, . • : I LA

. ' : BURNS' ON THE RESULT, by the "Referee" after tho fight, Burns said:— . • M . '.'That blow in tho first round Battled my chances. I ■ would have given Johnson a great .shaking but for-his lucky punch. A , [round .0r,..tw0 later my ankle went badly, •and to hide the fact handicapped md a lot, because of the pain. No, .1 never really-felt myself. I was lighter than: I have been for a long time. Ho can't hitworth a cent. .He had me dazed all ; tho time, and got' his favourite blows hone often, but I was there till - the police m- . .terfered, and would have been there through tho othor six rounds, and .might have won, . .becauso the big nigger was tiring fast." J -BURNS'SCHALLENGETO JOHNSON. '■In; reEponsa. to Tommy Burns'schallengi ■ another' match, 'says "Sydney Referoo," . Johnson stated yesterday (Tuesday, Decern ber. 29) that he sent £2000 to tho "Eo . the ox-champion to cover. •Up > tt>; midnight yesterday that money, had not materialised. , V ; Johnson wanted the contest to take place publicly or privately next Saturday night, as ,he intended leaving for Melbourne on Sunday, but such , a proposition was completely out of the question, particularly because of the fact that Burns is just now suffering- from a bad ankle as well as for other reasons. \ •"