The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1888. Glove Contests

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 123, 17 May 1888, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1888. Glove Contests

It is clear the Government have no intention of wasting the time of Par* liament by introducing legislation in the direction of suppressing glove fights. The Minister of Defence, who was most appropriately questioned on the subject, has said the attention of the Government had been called to the prevalence of these fights, but it was found that the men engaged in them generally sparred with soft gloves, and did no harm to each other. If, how* ever, there was any disgraceful proceedings at such exhibitions the Government would at once put a stop to them. It seems to us that Mr Taylor, the member for Sydenham, put his question badly, or the Minister of Defence did not apprehend its real drift. Nobody has ever denied that the principals did not hurt each other. That has been, and is, so well-known that the so-called glove fights are

objects of ridicule and contempt among ' those who have witnessed them. What Mr Tayi or really wanted to get out of the Minister was a proud c that these fights would be suppressed, not because the boxers n>ight hurt etfeh other, but because such exhibition's induced assemblages of the low- ; est and most degraded classes in the country, who were likely to contammate the youth of the rising geuevation. It is iv this the harm is done. As a great deal of power in placed in the hands of local bodies, and the police, which may be exercised in the manner most advisable to prevent these meetings, we are inclined to think the Minister of Defence has shown a wise discretion in refusing to interfere, although we differ with him as to the grounds of such refusal.