IN THE RING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1734, 26 April 1913, Page 12

IN THE RING.

(By "Mercury.")

THE CHAIRMAN'S RECENT FIAT. April 30— F. Ellis v. T. Thompson, Blenheim. Mr. M'Viliy Fires a Bomb. The ruling of Mr. E. W. M'Viliy at Monday's annual general meeting of the Wellington Boxing Association, which blocked Mr. T. W. Sduipson for a scat on tho Management Committeo has given l'iso to a deal of discussion. Tho facts liavo been set forth in tho daily press, but a briof recapitulation is necessary for proper understanding of tho position. Mr. Sampson was proposed in the usual manner for a seat 011 tho executive, on -which, by tho way, he has served for somo seven years, but tho chairman refused to acoept tho nomination for tho reason that lie had, in his capacity of referee, accepted remuneration from the association's funds. This naturally drew from Mr. Sampson a protest on tho grounds that his remuneration was 011 all fours with the bonus voted annually to tho secretary and treasurer. The chairman, however, was obdurate and the election proceeded without Mr. Sampson's name appearing among tho candidates. What Say the Rules? Tho only rule bearing upon the subject is No. 8 in tho official rulo book, which states in effect that no member of the association shall accept remuneration from the association's funds, except as d salaried officer. Tho crux of tho question lies in tho definition of a "salaried officer." If Mr. Sampson is not a salaried officer then he is not entitled to any voice in tho affairs of the association, for flio very simple reason that ho is not eligible even for membership of the association. On tho other hand, if Mr. Sampson is a salaried officer, lie, as a member'of the association, is not debarred by ! its rules from holding any position thereon. There is tlio position as regards Mr. Sampson. But tho matter does not end there. It opens up a big question regarding tho status of the secretory and honorary treasurer. Tho present secretary (or rather tho secretary up till Monday's meeting which decided that, for this season, the office shall be an honorary one) was a paid officer, but his predecessor was purely an honorary official, as is also the treasurer. Now, theso officers have been voted yearly bonuses in recognition of their services. The question rises whether tho payment of these bonuses or honorariums does not bring them under tho scope of Rulo 8 inasmuch as (not being salaried officers) they received remuneration from tho association's funds.

It is apparent, of course, that this is not the intention of the rule, and then comes the corollary. If the rule is interpreted liberally in tho cases of tho secretary and treasurer, should it not bo interpreted equally liberally in tho caso of tho referee? Wanted: A Battalion of Lawyers. All of which brings us back to tho main question: What is a salaried officer within the meaning of Rule 8? On the authority of the Encyclopaedia Britaunica we have it that a learned judgo in England has defined a salary as "definite payment for personal service under some contract and computed by_ time." . Unfortunately this (if read in conjunction with Rule No. 8 and the intention thereof) does not help much in tho present instance, so no doubt tho argument will still go on. In fact "Mercury" understands that there is a possibility of tho matter being argued by some of tho legal members of the association before a meeting called to reopen tho question. Blenheim's Good Bill. The only Dominion tourney looming in ' tho immediate future is that at Blenheim <in April 30. Tho piece de resistance of tho programme is tho return (tho third of tho scries) between F. Ellis and T. Thompson. In addition tlioro is also to bo a 10-round bout between A. Thompson and' D. jUaloney for a .£SO puree and an amateur featherwoight contest, if the necessary talent bo forthcoming. Tho local boys, W. Mack and M. Stewart (of Petone) liavo been approached, but "Mercury" has not heard whother they aro available.

New Zealander and Aborigine. The big Australian event of the week has been the contest between "Dave" Smith and "Jerry" Jerome, which the cable advised us on Monday was won in the 18th round by the. New Zealander, This news caused great satisfaction on this side, 39 Smith's career is of great interest to New Zealanders, and -the present instance shows that the 'good form which he displnyed in his contest with "Lcs" O'Dohnell was no flash in tho pan, but a genuine return to the old-timo brilliancy which it was feared ho, had lost on his English and American trip. Details will be awaited with interest. Tho cable message did not state whether the end came per medium of a knockout, tho towel, or police intervention, but the fact /that Smith reduced tho , hardy "black p'fellcr".to submission before the end of the twenty rounds shows that ho must havo augmented his splendid boxing ability with a good deal of strenuous punishing.

The Ways and Weakness of "Freak

Fighters." When the details do reach lis it will probably bo found that Jerome's unconventional methods, which have proved so effective when, applied to the men he has clashed with hitherto—have fallen down before the Now Zealander's lucre orthodox, but eminently scientific assortment of hits. And it will always bo so. Tho whole history of the ring has shown that the "freak fighter" can get just so far alid no further. His unusuolness and unexpectedness BCiire against the mediocre "pug," whose habit it is, in such cases* to mislnv his small stock of scicnco and to wade In and play tho "wild and woolly one" at his own game, but, against tho skilled boxer, whose science n mask for solid punishing as is tho caso with Smith, the unconventional gladiator comes down hard.

,The Impregnable Heads of Black Men. Apropos of Jerome, black fellows, and the pugilistic sons of Hatn generally, a "Bulletin" correspondent is'moved to relato an anccdotc which may, or may not (most probably may not) havo some bearihg on the present inter-racial pugilistic supremacy question. He writes: — After a long experience of the coon race, I am of opinion that the whito man's skull was never inteuded to stand the' saino rough usage as the black mail's, hence the trouble to find a "White Hope." What better evidence can you get than in the old Kimberley and Johannesburg (South Africa) days, when one of the most interesting items oil nny sports' programme was "the cheese-smashing competition." Tho competitors, who were generally Kaffirs of the Jack Johnson type, were allowed to make . their run at the cheese from any dis- | lance they preferred (generally about a ten yards run). Tho cheeses wero hung against a wall, and tho first coon to break his cheese with his head was declared the winner. The game might have remained a favourite pastime, but when wooden cheese were rung in it went kind of fiat.

The Defeat of Midwood, Another Stadium battio of interest last week was that between the English "middle" champion, "Jim" Sullivan (whoso world's premiership aspirations were settled two years ago by "Billy" Papke, and who moro recently ran into disaster at the hands of Georges Carpeuticr, of France),' and "Itcg." Midwood, of Tasmania. Midwood will hi long remembered for llis sensational recovery in his battle with Urcolo Balzac during the recent French invasion of Sydney, On that occasion his Gallic-opponent played skittles with him for iiinetoeu rounds. He was battered and pummelled, and sent to the boards lime and again cach round, yet got up cheerfully, and smilingly asked for more. Eight up lo the twentieth and last round he got it—good and plenty. 11l the twentieth he was knocked down four times, then it apparently dawned upon him that M. Balzac was going a (rifle (no far. So willt (lie smile looking rather more grim than cheerful, he got up for tho last (ime, and ssuioto tho 'Frenchman grievously- so griovously in-

deed that when he commenced to take an interest in tilings again itho audience had all gone home to wonder at Millwood's gaineness. That night tho Tasmanian created a reputation for pluck and endurance that endeared him to tho Sydney public, and 0110 which his cont<**t with Sullivan did nothing to stain. But, in tho Englishman, he was against a hotter man than the Frenchman, a bolter boxer, a harder hitter, aud a mail of more than average strength nud durability. Tho rosult was that with all his gameness and endurance, Midwood only lasted ten rounds, and all the time ho was re-ceivcr-iu-chicf for a lightning left and a tearing insiilo right-cross. Timo and again tho Tasmanian took tho count, timo uiul again ho was up beforo itho fatal "ten" had been ticked oil', and so it went until tho tenth round, when his seconds mercifully skied tho toweL, to cveryonVs satisfaction, except Midwood's. Sullivan's showing mado a great impression on tho critics, and it is considered that it will bo hard to find a "middle" in Australia, to extend him. His next essav is with, "l'at." Bradley to-night, but for liiiu. Summers Once Again. Tlioro is another English victory to chroniclo in Australia, tho winner this timo being Johnny Summers, and the defeated 0110 "Alf.' Goodwin, nt ono timo of England, and more recently a wanderer on tho face of tho earth, domiciled of lato in Australia. The Bombardier Goes to Paris. Bombardier Wolls's recent defeat in America by "Gunboat" Smith apparently terminated his American tour. Latest advices state that he has beenmatched with Georges Carpentier for next Monday at the Cirque do Paris.