WAS IT PAIR?

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2177, 17 June 1914, Page 8

WAS IT PAIR?

PROFESSIONAL BOXING . CONTEST. STRANGE RUMOURS MOSTLY ABOUT LOST WAGERS

INQUIRY TO BE HELD

'Rumours have been hi circulation in the city during the past few clays that \ll was liot fair and above suspicion is

connection with last week's professional boxing contest in the Town Hall, The affair was .the subject of considerable discussion at last night's Meeting of the executive of the Wellington Boxing Association, and as a result an inquiry will be held at an early date,, when numerous persons will be asked to attend and give ovideitte. Tlie contest referred to was . between J. Hagerty (New Zealand) and. F, O'Grady (Australia), tlio former winning in tho twelfth round, when, tho. towel came iai from O'Grady s cori-jen. Chears for the winner wero given at. the close of the contest, which had aroase/i the enthusiasm of the spectatots from start to finish. The allegations of malpractice appear to have been made by persons, who lost wagers on the contest, but up to the present no complaints 'hat© been lodged with the Boxmg Association. ■ During the meeting of the Management Committee last night-, Mr. J. L. Day asked how the purse (£l'2o) • had been divided, and it. was es-lji-ained- th»» the articles provided that J67& .shouj/i go to the winner, £50' to the. fcser, and £5 to O'Grady .for aspe-iises," but. by mutuaj consent 'l:h'e.,.c(3 : h'tes'tants had subsequently decided to ■ take £02 life, each. Mr. Day moved that the- asso-nation should never again '.ag-fea to such di- ■ vision of the money. 'Th« wiiifier } Ij-g said, should always receive more than the loser in such cofltests, Mr. Gale declared that it wis imjioss.iblo to prevent it. ' The purso had: been equally divided in: several other contests, and ho named tire Tracy*thi.hote match, when each of the co®ip-B'tit<jr& agreed before the mateh ,'to t-ate £30. . Mr. Day's motion was not secondedand the discussion trapped for tho time being..' The chairman (Mr. 8.. M'Villy) reintroduced the. subject when th& aulinary business of the meatijw been •transacted. ' "Some of'.yo-u nave heard the town' talk about the recent coirtest," he said. "I have heard is, hut cannot get any proof of what ss, alleged.. for, whilo people will tallvifre.% about town, no one : will ■ coins, -forward and give us evidence wijlch will cnahlo us to take what undoubtedly would be the right action, if one half of what is saifl is true." He went on to -say thai what ho personally had seen of the contest • was consistent with tho losers state* • menl that' ho had sprained- liis ankle. If, however, anything had boeg. doas that was not fair and above-board, the association was entitled to ask and to expect people who knew of. this .and who probably hid suffered by it, to como forward and fcelE wliat "they knew. Then, if the asspciatiaii.' could get any proof that "a hyrt" or "a sKn*. ter" had been- worked, it svoiild not has*, itato to deal with the offeisdw as it had done before, and -disn-ualif y Mm for life. . ; i Mr. p. R. Hoggard' that » person, he, named'hud made a statement to tlia reiereo (Mr. T. Sanvpson) that certain parties had iieSji siviiidldtl by, betting transactions over the contest. Mr. W. A. Fordhara: 1 don't thick wo can get to the ba-t'toiii of it, Ismtto my mind there is not the slightest doubt that it was a "sHilter." ■ Mr. F. Galo inquired if they had tho doctor's cortificatcs to o ! 'fir-ad.y injury. Ho had been told that- O'Grady's ankle iv'as injured. It appeared that no cortifieates had' been obtained, but Mr. Hoggaid mentioned that Dr. Gilmer had- to hi h®i that O'Grady had suffered an injury to his- ■ ankle, which would he vm r painful. 'Tho president of, the association (Mr. E. A. Blundell), who wa-s p'rcse-nt, gave it as his opinion that there-wiis uo suggestion of a "slinteß' about the ttii-' tost. "Most .of. the talk, 5 ' he said, "conies from tho boo'kiitaters, who hateprobably lost money ovrf flie result., and' I don't think wo shoals! take the slightest notice of it. If it was a 'siinter,' it was a very ..smart „ owe.'"-' (Hoar, hear.) Mr. Day was also ©f opMoft that if the affair was a "slifttef? it- was «no of the-smartest things that ever occurred. H'o_ stated that he saw the accident by which O'Grady injured his- an-khs:, through slipping where soiiie water had been spilt. The chairman: We've. : got ta .remember that we're dependent' for support «m the confidence of the public, and we. want to retain, that eonifidbneo. It is only fair to the association and the competitors and to- tlio pnnlic th'c.mselves that if we Suspect aily crookcd business we should inquiro into-it/ Aud if it can be proved to tho associatifn that there was any crooked business, then the association is prepared to ioko action. [J Mr. N. Coffey remarked that, he 4 ha(l asked several people* who were- supposed to know, to come along and m®fce a statement to the association, but they wero 'not willing to do So, Mr. H: D. Smith ; If Jf. was a "si'w* ter,", O'Gmdv. would not have stood up to t'ako all that punishment. Mr. Fordham: What :pUßishmi?iit ? Mr; Gale: Mr. Fordhafrl SeelM to hate a grievance about soinfethi:n,e. .Why doesn't he tell us what lie kfiflWfc?

Mr. C; E.' Bridge Uiwght' Mr. Sate was right, and tbat Sir. Feirdha-in 1 should, be asked'all about it. He (Mr. Bridge! then recited what life himself had heard' about, a business man, who had been induced to stake £50 om tl'ie loser, and who had allowed himself to be ( l£d t4 the, man who was willing to accept .lite wager. The mail referred m was reported to have been friendly wjtte'Q'Grwity, and to have worked with him "'Melbourne vears ago. ; Mr! Fordham theft feci,ted a story that- had been'told to hmi by ?. bookmaker, wlio had'lost mdjieV on the contest. but wlio did not wish to complain as his losses had only aiwunted to the "small sum" of £30 nr £ vO. Tills bookmaker had been wifliii" to-so oil with the betting on O'G id but someone h'ad-told him something at tea oM aVfttting. and this caused luw to close, his book. ■ • : • ' Mr. B. A. Guise- declared that be had seen the saiiie bookmaker ill the Tiffin Tea Booms immediately after tile contest, and-had bewCtrffa remark- to the referee that he had had !i a< garni go'for his moneyl" The chairman: There stents is be A pood deal of the throe bl&k croiVs about'the whole story. However, we're, going to write to Mr. Lawless $Amstralian representative), by the tirsi- mail and ask.him to,get a statement ftem O'Grady. . >

After some further discussion' it was agreed to set up an inquiry and ravll anumber of witnesses. Man? members expressed the opinion that the inquiry would prove the iraiwceftce of O'Grady.

Mr. Fordham: "Whs* did be go away without seeing anyone?

Mr. Gali;: Well, no one nwt 'hiin He arrived here without. anyone seeing him. Von well? not at the I>sy;ti.

The chairman saidtliafc was the case, No one had met O'Grady on arrival*

Mr. - Gale added that Hai+wly had also arrived without n.ny nrramjcmeiUs being made for his accommodation. He

iI:oT!;;lit sonie numbers of the committee shmih'3 .havo been at the beat to meet O'Gradv. It was too parly for Mr. fordham, h«vevs>r, and he (Mr. Gale) had had to iMsh nmiiidaiid find accommodation for him. Mr. fori ha m: Yes, and yon found him a hotel from which wo had t<i •shift him. (valo: You iierer shifted him. You mi&ht have ridden up ill a cab, but yon never did any of the work, and now you come here dtiing nil the gl'owiins. ■ After some further discussion of this nature. it was decided to call a special meeting to hear any witnesses, who would be willing to, eome. before the committee and give evidence.