BOXING

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 152, 23 March 1921, Page 6

BOXING

WELLINGTON ASSOCIATION A SATISFACTORY YEAR The annual meeting of the Wellington Boxing Association was held last night. The president, Mr. R. W. MWilly, was in the chair, and there was a good attendance of members. According to the annual report, every association in the Dominion has displayed considerable activity in boxing matters during the year. The amateur championships were revived after a lapse of some years, but the number of entries failed to reach pre-war figures. Tho heavy-weights excepted, the competitors gave remarkably good displays, which augured well for the future. The competitions between high-class professionals which had been held during the year were attractive to patrons of the sport and instructive to amateurs, many of whom took advantage of bouts with professionals in their training work, and in that way obtained experience and proficiency. The committee, recognising this and adhering to the original purpose and policy for which the association was founded, regarded professional contests from the educative point of view, and, in pursuance of that principle, made it an invariable rule that all professional contests should be preceded by two or three amateur competitions. This gave encouragement to the amateur side of the sport, in which a large section of patrons took a very keen interest. In promoting tournaments the committee had aimed at maintaining the previous high standard set, both in regard to the comfort of patrons, tho sport provided, and the general control of contests and those taking part therein. The observations. of those who had been privileged to witness the tournaments in other centres indi/ated that the Wellington Association’s efforts in these directions were appreciated. During the year an arrangement was made with the Y.M.C.A. for training quarters for local and visiting boxers.

In moving the adoption of the report, the president said that it was satisfactory to note that all the contests held had been a financial success. The five professional contests had netted a return of about J!4(10. He noted tliat in some ports of the Dominion contests were held for the benefit of the houses. The Wellington Association had never followed that policy, and it behoved them to do what they could to stop the practice becoming general. The main purpose of associations was to foster amateurism, not professionalism. Professional contests would, he hoped, always be regarded from an educative point of view. In Wellington there was some promising talent which should be fostered. Mr. B. A. Guise said it was to be regretted that various associations were competing against each other and ignoring the decision arrived at the Hastings conference te limit the purse to professionals to .£250. Purses ought to be curtailed and more attention paid to amateurs.

The report and balance-sheet were adopted. Officers were elected as follow:—Patron, Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P.; president, Mr. R. W. M'Villy; vice-presidents, Messrs. H. Nelson, J. L. Day, C. E. Bridge, Ernest Blundell, L. George, I. Duncan, J. H. Owen, and Dr. J. H. MfLean; management committee, Messrs. J. E. Staples, G. Howe, E. A. Dawson, J. W. Bell, W. W. Cook, P. W. Woods, H. Hull, D, R. Hoggard, and A. W. Press; hon. solicitor, Air. W. Perry; hon. treasurer, Mr. B. A. Guise; representative in Australia, Mr. W. Lawless; hon. secretary, Air. W. G. Talbot; hon. auditor, Air. R. J. Aekins. On the motion of Mr. Guise, it was decided to recommend the council to alter the rules governing the Australasian championshlips, so that at those meetings the home States should nominate two or more referees upon whom the various competing States should vote, and that each State should have the right to appoint a judge who would officiate at contests other than those in which representatives from his own State were competing.