BOXING.

NZ Truth, Issue 75, 24 November 1906, Page 3

BOXING.

A tacit understanding was arrived at some time ago between the secretaries of affiliated Boxing Associa-

lions.. with a view of securing uniformity of action between 'the various Associations under the banner of the New Zealand Boxinf Council, m connection with obtaining - the services of contestants, professional and amateur, residing m districts under the jurisdiction of sister Associations, through the 'various local Associations. The suggestion was first made by. the secretary of the Canterbury Boxing Association, and tile local, Association's officials readily, fell,; in. with it. In so -f-ar as the WeUffi^ton As^pciatipn is cqncerned,! it has jidhered ploseiy to this procedure, recognising that the authority of the local Association controlling the District should not be weakened by the action of sister Associations m ignoring the Association controlling; the District and communicating- direct with competitors resid-

ing- m Districts outside of its jurisdiction. .

The Wellington Association; however, has discovered that there has been some departure from the method, and one of the offenders is the originator of the proposal, which entered into negotiations with Tracy i-o box Bob Turner, of Sydney, without givkig the least intimation to

those controlling the sport here. The Southern' people thought to keep

(■•he matter a close secret, but the secretary ..of the .local Association was m full possession of the negotiations Roiig on, and the Canterbury officials were subsequently . informed to that effect. The Northern Boxing y\ssociatibn, Auckland, has tried the same game on. notwithstanding the repeated '• assurances of its secretary

that it would act fair and square m

the matter of r securing the services nf competitors outside its own district. .■..,.■..•.

The attention of the Wellington Association, has -been directed to a press report of the proceedings of the Canterbury Boxing Association, m .which, $he. latter is reported to have passed* a resolution drawing the

attention of the Council to the re.missness of ..the ■ Wellington Boxyig 1 Association rcspesttrig trophies for \Y. Robertson', of Ashburton, and A. Gould, of Tiniaru, respectively. For blasted impertinence this action of the Southern body takes the whole bun, currants and all. It appears that Robertson, who was runner-up

id., the heavy-weight division at the N.Z. Championship tournament, was .riven- an order, to. obtain a trophy of the value; of £2, and he made a centract with Mr J. H. Robinson, j«weller, of this city to supply him ■with a medal, the latter-subsequent- -- rendering' his account to the local Association 'which ' promptly footed the bill. Robertson was not satisfied with the medal, it seems, and throueh the' Canterbury Boxing As•ociation made application to the Wellington Boxing Association for another trophy . m its stead. When ' the matter came before the local Association it was unanimously decided to take no action, m the matter members holdin.a: that if Robertson is dissatisfied the • question is one' whioh should be settled between him- j self and the manufacturer of the medal. All that the Association is concerned with is the fact that it gave Robertson an order to secure a trophy and left the. matter of the form of the trophy entirely m his hands, and. that the order given to the said Robertson was for the full advertised value, viz., £2. The Association does not consider that the C.E.A. has any jurisdiction m the

matter, and most emphatically declines to take any action whatever— a decision, by the way, which has been communicated to the Council.

With % regard to Gould's medal, the frtCts are these :— At the' presentation of trophies won at the Championship meeting Tre.size, runner-up m the feather-weight division, expressed a

desire to divide the second "rize with Gould, on the ground that the Timaru boy was really more deserving . of the trophy than himself: The Chairman and other members of the .Wellington Association present, recognising the sportsmanlike spirit displayed* by Tresize, and appreciating the good fellowship which apparently existed among the Canterbury team, as evidenced by Tresize 's action, intimated that they would recommend their Association to give Gould a

special trophy 'of the value . of a guinea, and they > had no doubt that their absent colleagues, would, m the circumstances, willingly accede to the proposal. As the Executive had not met since the closinc of the con-

test, except to transact urgent pressing business, the members of the committee who* were to brine the matter, forward had no opportunity ofc.vdoing so, until. Thursday of last week. When th^ question of awarding G-ould a trophy was brought up the committee unanimously approved •of the idea, and were generous enouimh to increase the amount to two guineas, although there was no legal or- moral obligation on its- part to do so.

Now the Canterbury Association complains that Gould has not^ been donated a trophy as was promised, so it says, by the Wellington Association. As shown above this statement is entirely contrary to facts. The local Association resents the Canterbury Association thrusting its oar m where it is not wanted, and it has communicated with the Council on the subject, pointing out that it -would have been much better if the C.B.A. had referred the matter to the Wellington Association direct, instead of publishing broadcast items which, m the opinion of the local body. are intended to reflect upon it.

The communication stingingly concludes :— ln so^ far as the Council is concerned my "Association does not recognize its right to interfere • m matters of this sort, and will most certainly resent any pin-pricking policy which the .Canterbury Association may endeavor to adopt- in regard to the Wellington Association, and we desire to again emphasise what this Association has previously pointed out, viz.. that the sport in' New Zealand cannot be fostered by any Association adopting such irritating tactics. This Association considers that it carries on its business m a sportsmanlike and proper spirit, and is always prepared to do a fair and reasonable thing for the encouragement of the sport, and the committee considers that it is much to be regretted that those who are responsible for the conduct of affairs of some of the sister Associations do not adopt a similar method of procedure. '

In advising the New Zealand Boxing Council that it is prepared to guarantee the sum of £25 towards defraying the expenses of sending a representative from New Zealand to England with the Australasian Amateur Boxing Team next year,, the Wellington Association presumes that the Council will advise contributing Associations as to the method that will be adopted m connection with the selection of the .candidate, that is to say, whether a competition for the honor of representing the colony m the light-weight division will be held. The probabilities are that if something of this kjnd is done it will result m bringing out some clever exponents' of the art who may not have come under notice up ■ to the present time, but who would readily come forward if the honor of representing New Zealand m England Was the goal. , .

. It ■is probable that the New Zealand representative to be chosen to make the trift to Fogla>nd with the Australian team will be A. Blewdem, the young Auckland light-weight. This lad has'; made rapid strides during the past: year. The secretary of the Northern Boxing Association communicated the other day with the Canterbury Association with a view to arranging; a match, between Maizey and Blewd&n, to take place m Auckland. A

Tim Tracy leave^ for Christchurch

to-night, accompanied by Gosling and McColl. who are to attend the Wellington boxer during his contest with Bob Turner, of Sydney, on Thursday night next. On Turner's showing with Hock Keys, as reported elsewhere on this page, Tracy should have a very fair chance of victory next week, He has never been m bettea- nick and if he goes under he says it will simply be because Turner is the better man.