THE BOXING ASSOCIATION.

NZ Truth, Issue 145, 28 March 1908, Page 7

THE BOXING ASSOCIATION.

CHAIRMAN TAKES UP THE CUDGELS.

A Full Reply to "One Who Knows."

The Association's Position is Unassailable.

As the issues raised by a corres- . pondent, "One Who Knows," m his, letter of 1 16 th March, which appeared \ m our columns of the 21st instant, j touched on various important points m connection , with the management 1 of the Wellington Boxing Association, the Chairman of that body has been given the opportunity of presenting the Association's case before the public. He has seen the communication, referred -to, and his reply, is' that the letter m question was brought under the notice of the Wellington Boxing Association. Though, as a general rule,' the' Association does not reply to anonymous crit - cisms, your correspondent, who. from the norn de plume he has assumed might reasonably be expected to know something about the sport and also of the work done by the Association to place the . sport cm its present footing, apparently has not taken .the trouble to keep m touch with the doings of the New Zealand Boxing Association* which controls the sport throughout the Dominion, 'or of the Wellington Boxing Association, which has for the past five years exercised administrative control m Wellington a-nd the surrounding districts. In ori der. therefore, to remove: the many, little misapprehensions under which your correspondent seems to labor, ! I would first point out that the aim | and business "of the New Zealand j Boxing Association and also of. the local Association, which is affiliated to the governing body, is the promotion of scientific boxing, not the promotion of- matches for the benefit of any competitor who likes to come along and express a desire to be given a match , and the Association, as the responsible body, will exercise its own judgment m all matters concerning its programme. Those\ who have taken an interest m and followed the sport since the inception of the Boxing Association,, cannot, I thank, but be struck with the difference m the displays that are now given, as compared with those given five years ago. Certainly the members of the local Association have THE MOST LIVELY RECOLLEC- • „ .. TION of the difficulties they had to encounter m the initial stages of the Association, and it is a matter of history that the display of the fistic, art was of so poor a oharaucter and the aspirants for farae so few that at the first contest "held m the Opera, House the Committee had, owing to the default of those who had

entered and been drawn for certain bouts, to go into Mie body of the house and arrange on the spot with certain members of the audience who were known to be followers of the noble sport to step into the breach ami fill the programme. The second venture of the Association was. even more disappointing, ami there is no doubt had the members of the Association been disheartened the second series of contests would have Jbeen tfae last. The Association, however, determined that having put its hand to the plough at would not turn back, and arrangements were made against the greatest possible 1 opposition to promote a contest between Hock Keys and Tim Tracy, to be held m conjunction with amateur events. It is needless to refer to the success that attended the Association's efforts cm this occasion^ or to refer to more recent contests that 'have been held. The work of the Association m the promotion of' 'scientific boxing speaks for itself, and the Association is not likely to be deterred from taking under all circum* stances what it considers to be the proper course for the control of box- ' ing. , • I If justification were needed for the . publicity -the Association has recently, given to the fact that ; attempts were ! being made by certain pugilists to [ arrange matches, it is furnished by the case decided m the Magistrate's | Court at Napier a day or two ago, particulars of which were reported m the "Dominion" of Wednesday. The work of the Wellington Associartaon needs no apology.. The houses at the various contests have been a ' practical testimony to . the appreciation by the public 'of the efforts of the Association. If your correspondent had read the reports of the annual meeting ol the Association as (PRINTED IN THE PUBLIC PRESS there would be no necessity for his asking whether one person outside of the membership is aware of the Association's financial position. Reports .and Balance Sheets have been prepared annually and these furnish' a complete answer to your correspondent's .query. If your correspondent j has any suggestions; .to make that j would help the Association m its en- j deavor to provide the best possible 'entertainment for the public, we will be exceedingly glad to hear from him and will even go as far as to call a special meeting to consider his propositions. The personal attack made by your correspondent on the Secretary of the Association is very much to he deprecated. ' In the opinion of those* who are best qualified to judge, the Wellington Boxing Association is • extremely fortunate m having for its \ 1 secretary one of Mr Coffey s calibre. j The position is a very onerous one. and Mr Coffey fills the bill m every respect. He is courteous and ever; willing and 1 ready to afford the fullest information and assistance' to all tftose who desire information m. respect to Boxing matters. There have, however, been occasions when he has had to , perform the unpleasant duty of refusing to admit to the contests persons , who did not hold tickets but who nevertheless desired to view . the contests. The Association is not aware that the secretary has been discourteous even, on those occasions. It is, however, possible that the gentlemen with whom he was dealing may have erroneously concluded that they were being discourteously treated m being refused admission to the contest free of charge. Your correspondent's conclusions regardiing snubbing and insulting visiting pugilists is utterless groundless. Every boxer who has visited New Zealand under the auspices of the Association has gone away satisfied with his treatment, and has thanked the^ Association m writing tor the courtesy aftd consideration received. Those gesvttemen, who have Come to the Dominion on the off chance of being given matches, have been COURTEOUSLY BUT FIRMLY INFORMED that their overtures could not be entertained, and no alteration will, under any circumstances, , be made m dealing with such applications, as th* Association intends, under all circumstances, to select only boxers of repute.

•With regard to the profits, your correspondent and the public generally can obtain the fullest information On. making personal application to the officers of the Association, who will be pleased to submit bal-ance-sheets ' for the information of anyone concerned, and also to receive suggestions a's to what should be done with the profits. It is observed your correspondent as significantly silent as to who should bear . any losses that may arise m connection with boxing contests. lam not aware that the members of t'he Association call to miml any occasion on which, offers of financial aid have voluntarily 'been made fry the public. The Association provides a certain entertainment, it fixes the prices which the. members of the public shall pay if they desire to witness the contest. Those who consider the programme .good value for the money purchase tickets m the ordinary way, it is a business arrangement on both sides. The Association neither wants anything from the public for nothing nor does it intend to provide entertainment for any section of the public free of charge. The profits accruing from the efforts of the Association belong to the Association and will 'be used m all respects m what the Association considers a fit and proper way, quite irrespective of, the opinion of "One Who Knows." It, may, perhaps, be information to your correspondent to know that the position of the Association m regard to its funds is absolutely an unassailable one, and neither he nor anyone else •- CAN INTERFERE IN THE n MATTER of the disposal of those funds. With regard to his desire to know whether the secretary and treasurer receive honorardums, I would merely say that the Association does not expect any of the executive officers to devote time and attention to the affairs of the Association without their services being m some way recognised. In this the Associations follows the well-beaten track, and grants to the secretary and treasurer, -by way of honorariums such amounts as the managing committee, m its wisdom, considers .t^hose officers are fairly entitled to receive. The Association, however, alone is concerned with what those amounts are, but if your correspondent will personally- wait on the committee at its next meeting, we will be glad to let him peruse the balance-sheet, from which he may perhaps glean the information he is seeking^ The honorariums are, .Uowr' ever, not such as to make either the secretary or treasurer multi-milftott-aires. With regard to the right of the members of the Atssoci-ation to make a presentation to a member of the Association, neither your correspondent nor any other person, has the right to interfere. The funds are not public funds, tout belong- to the Association, and can be used for any purposes, the Association considers fit and proper. The Wellington Boxing Association desires to make its position perfectly clear, m the matter of the control of the sport and takes the view that it is its duty to make as swi'dely known as possible the fact that all boxing contests held m the! Wellington, Provincial District m<ust be approved by the Association, and that, m every case where it comes within the knowledge of the Association that private matches or exhibition contests of any kind which infringe the provisions of the ''Police Offences Act, 1907" are, arranged, or take place, the Association will take; immediate steps to vindicate its position. Publicity has recently been given to this m|atter by the Association, with a view to letting all patrons of the sport know the position, and to prevent the possibility of those who may have contemplated the arrangement of contests from inadvertently infringing the conditions umler which boxing contests are held m the Dominion. ' ' The conclusion your correspondent arrives at m regard to the Wellington Boxing Association being IMMUNE FROM CENSURE OR CRITICISM of the Press is somewhat amusing, and, of course, has no real foundation m fact. The Press has devoted a considerable amount of space to the doings of the Association. No doubt these little divergencies of opinion will continue to exist. All that the Association expects is fair criticism. To this it does not object, but it has a deckled objection to its officers being subjected to unwarranted personal attacks, such as has been made 'by your correspondent on the Secretary of the Association,