PRIZE FIGHTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1276, 3 November 1911, Page 4

PRIZE FIGHTS.

HELD UNDER CIVIC SANCTION. STRONG PROTESTS. AHE THEY FITTING IN TOWN HALL t A protest against the letting of tlio Town lla.ll for prizo fights was made by a deputation which waited ui tho City Council last night. The deputation consisted of members of the Ministers' Association and other ciiizenfl, who supported them in their opposition to professional boxing. Tho Rev, J. J, North. The Dev. J. J. North said that the deputation might lwvo boon much larger, but tlio members of it had dccided that tlio council did no', want a demonstration, but simply a statement o£ their objections t:i tho leasing of the Town Hall for prize fights. The protest which they mado was not based on any narrow conception of thoschemoof tilings; it was not a protest against any particular form of sport, and was not an advocacy of any maudlin form of manliness. They thought sitnyly that the degenerate nature of prize fights was such that the Town Hall ought not to used for them. Two or three tilings had happened since the council lost considered the matter which might alter tho jwrsijectivo in which the question would be viewed. The English liomo Secretary had intervened to stop a fight that had. been arranged, although that fight wm to take place in a private hall in tho metropolis. Also, tho Navy outhorities had summarily forbidden Navy men to compete in prize fights. It was beyond tho wildest flight of English imagination that a prize light should be allowod to take place in any' town hall in England. Thero had also been a development of hostile feeling in America, whicn had led to tho prohibition of prize fights within the State of New York.

Degenerate Eighteenth Century Sport. Tho deputation did not think that when the Town Hall was built out o£ publio loan raonev it was intended that a prizo ring should bo built in it, that prizo fights should lxs held in it, and that tho hall would bo filled with people ii,tercs(«d in the result of those lights, because of money watered. The grant of civil sanction to the snort lifted it on to n piano of respectability where it did not belong. This new popularity of prize fighting in recent years was a resurrection of a degenerate eighteenth century sport. In the same way it might be possible to resurrect the sport of cock-fighting, and M< ihicc crowds to come and it. This wa« in itself 110 recommendation of cock-fight-iug, and 110 reason why it should bo permitted in the Town Hall. _ Mr. North exnlained, in conclusion, (hat Mr. J. P. Firth, principal of tho Wellington College, had been very anxious to bo present to speak, but that press of work had prevented him.

Dr. Gibb's Opinion. Tho Rev. Dr. Gibb stated fiat lo was satisfied that to a great majority of tho citizens of Wellington, constituting the constituency of tho council, diesu prizo fights were unutterably obnoxious If a plosbiscito of tho city were taken 113 was suro that the council would bo surprised at the majority that would declarc agninst prizo fights. He had road tho accounts of tho last prizo light which had occurred in the hall with feelings of disgust and loathing* and of filuimo that it had taken pla'oo under the. licenso of the Citv Council. He regarded tin* lowa Hftll as tho property of the citizcns of "Wellington, and surely there should ba ' associated witu that stately building only ! puch tl'ings as would uplift tho community. lie did not suggest that amusements should not take place there, but he did think that those amusements should bo innocent and harmless, and certainly not-of a degrading type. He took 110 exception to boxing as a sport. Ho believed in muscular Christianity, and even that thero miglit be occasions on which a man might be justified in knocking a scoundrel down. But botween that and tho kind of-thiug which had occurred in the Town Hall thero was surely a groat gulf fixed. The citizens of Wellington did not want to foster a sport which was appreciated only by groundlings, whether in broadcloth or in fustian. He lioped that tho result of the deputation would bo that tho goneral permit for prizo fights in the Town Hall would bo incontinently withdrawn.

Professor Kirk on Professional Sport,

Professor Kirk agreed that_ whilo all forms of amateur sport, of which boxing was 0110 of the finest, should lx> encouraged, professional sport ought not to bo countenanced. Tho immonso 6ums of money which could l>o earned by both winners and losers in prize fights alono sufficient to clotho the sport with somo suspicion. Ho explained that lie objected not only to professional boxing; ho would object also to the leasing of reserves for tho playing of professional football.

What the Mayor Said in Reply. Tlio Mayor replied to tlio deputation, assuring them that their request would bo considered by the council. Ho enggested to the members, however, that tlio Johnson-Wells fight was stopped becauso ono of the men to fight was black a.na the other white. The first representation to have (he fight stopped camo from South Africa, where it was thought the triumph of the black man might cause trouble between the black and the white races there. Dr. Oibb had said quite rightly that the Town Hall was not built for prize fights, but in tlio eamc way it was not built for dances. Councillor Fuller: Nor for 6ectaria& sermons. , Mr. WiMord, continuing, paid that no hated prize fights, but ho liked boxing. (Hear, hour.) His personal opinion was that, there was 110 harm done by a clean 'nixing exhibition with police supervision, but ho did not think this place should be used for any gambling entertainment whatever. Ho was not going to do anything to prevent the council allowing boxing exhibitions being carried 011 in tho Town tfavll, but iie distinguished between boxing exhibitions and prize fights. Councillor Atkinson gave notice of his intention to move at the next mooting of tlio council that tlio request of tho deputation be given effect to. The Mavor: If you do that you prevent us from dealing with it to-night. Councillor Fuller: Would it bo fair to dc.il with it to-night- There may be a count er-depu tat ion. Tlio Mayor: There is 110 need (0 deal with it to-night unless councillors wish it.

Councillor Atkinson's motion will 1m considered at next council mooting, two days after the next event will be hold in tlio Hall.