COUNTERBLAST.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1288, 17 November 1911, Page 5

COUNTERBLAST.

ON THE QUESTION OF BOXING. SPORTS LEAGUE ASTIR. TITEY APPROACH CITY COUNCIL, Counterblast (o a recent deputation against boxing in Hie Town Hull emoto flic City Council last evening. This deputation was from (ho iipwly-formed Sports Protection League, and was almost largo enough to be called a demonstration. They placed (he case for the Wellington Jioxing Association before the council, and the nature of the argument advanced is sufficiently indicated by tbo speeches. Tho net result was that the discussion on Councillor Atkinson's anti-boxing proposal has been ilefwredi

Legality and Decency of Boxing. Mr. C. W. Tringham staled that the hporls Protection League had been formed from all sporting bodies in New Zealand, and its object was to protect, as far us possible, sports of all kinds throughout tiio Dominion. Its ultimate aim was purely defensive, and it was not allied with any parly in politics. Neither was it allied with the Liquor trade or with the Prohibition party. The 'deputation now beforo the council consisted of representatives of almost every sport in the Dominion, and they stood for thousands of people who took part in sncli sports, and also for thousands of patrons who wore interested as spectators. In the present case they sought to protect tho lioxmg Association from the possible effect of an attempt which had been made to close the Wellington Town Hall for being used for boxing contests. The speaker went on to point out that boxing had been legalised l>y Act of Parliament, and had to bo carried out under regulations which wore very stringent. It was, for instance, necessary"that a permit for every series of contests should be obtained from the police, and if at any time tho Boiing Association failed to carry out their contests properly their permits would certainly bo refused.

The Bogey of "Civic Sanction." 110 thought, therefore, that it would l>o soon enough fur the council to object to the granting of the Town Hall for such contests when it was shown that tho association had' failed to control the sport properly. Iu Wellington boxing exhibitions were patronised by a very large number of people—probably 3000 to 5000— and he submitted that such a large portion of tho community had u perfect right to expect that the Town Hall should bo availablo to them for their sport, so long as the sport was properly conducted. He pointed out that municipally-owned halls in other towns wore granted freely for boxing contests, and no complaints had been received. It did not follow (as a member of a previous depntation had suggested) that tho council, in lotting the hall for boxing contests, lent to such exhibitions a, civic sanction. Such an assertion might be mado regarding every public meeting hold in the Town Hall. Recently, for example, the council had permitted the anti-militarists to hold a meeting in the hall. Surely it could not be said that tho council had tanctioned their movement.

Mr, M'Villy on National Tradition. Mr. E, M'Villy submitted that the Town Hall had boon built for use by every section of the citizens, subject to their coinplying with tho council's conditions, and, so far as the AVellington Boxing Association was concerned, these conditions had been faithfully observed. The crowds had never boen rowdy or unruly, 'and the property of tho city had never suffered damage. Hβ contended that there was a vast difference between glovo contests, as conducted in New Zealand, and the Old prize fights.' In Australia and America most of tJio fights were promoted by in : dividuals for profit. Ilero they. Vere conducted by associations formed 'for tho promotion of sport. Any professionals brought here were brought for tho purpose of educating tho amateurs, to allow them to make themselves more proficient in their sport by seeing more skilled exponents. He did not think that it could be contended that thore was anything degrading in boxing. It used to bo counted an honour to our rncp that a Britisher could defend himself better with his hands than a. foreigner could with a knife. Recent Navy Regulation. W. Beauchamp Platts assured tho council that the professionals engaged wcro men of good repute. In no part" of the world was boxing controlled so efficiently as it was in tho Dominion, by a body wliich had a mononoly of boxing. Tho only institution which could eomparn with it was tho National Sportins Club in London, and it was not protected by legislation. Hβ then went on to refer to a cortam point which had been made by tho previous deputation—viz., that Navy men were not allowed to eompeto in public boxing contests. Ha knew tliat this was so.'but it had been ordained solely on account of the inconvenience caused through men having to undergo a course of training, and to bo absent- from their ship. As a matter of fact, Bluejackets were encouraged to practise- boxing among themselves. Debate Adjourned. After the 'deputation had boon heard, it was aereed that the council should deal wir.li the case nrorentod by the derm-' ration when Councillor Atkinson's motion (to have tho _ wrmission trranted to Hie Boxing Association rescinded) came un. When this time came, Councillor Atkinson asked that the matter be allowed to stand over, partly because of the late-ikv-s of the hour, and partly because lie did not wish to interfere with a mcetini wliich the Boxing A«oriation lmd nr~-j-aiwiyl to take nbioe in the Town Hall on November 20, and for which the as-oeia-tion had committed itself to considerable expenditure. A motion that the. debate be adjourned was then carried.