THEY STILL REMEMBER

NZ Truth, Issue 1214, 7 March 1929, Page 10

THEY STILL REMEMBER

Southland Decisions Cause Many A Pain

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Invercargill Representative) .

Six months have slipped by since Johnnie Leckie was the victim of a scandalous decision m his mill with Tommy Barber at Invercargill.

THAT usually great healer, Time, has however failed to cure the indignation wound opened' up in.' the minds of many hundreds of boxing's staunchest backers. The cut remains proud, and the Southland Association, as chief disgust prescriber, now assumes the role of joint sufferer. This was reflected m the attendance at the association's novice and open tourney — an end-of-season,- wind-up affair, staged as balm-bait to the numbers of humiliated patrons. . But Southland's boxing fans had not forgotten. They refused to, bite, and but for a few sports from the surrounding districts and> 1 likewise few race visitors, the whole, shooting match would have been a corpse. But how lucky were the sage heads who -tabooed the show. The same racket which so ingloriously ended the Leckie^-Barber clash marked this tournament and absolutely poisoned the few loyalists against poking their noses m again. Early m the piece, one decision m the open lightweight caused more than a little surprise, 'but- this was stowed away, only to be rudely awakened with

[ a putrid nomination m the final bout qf the, evening— the final of the open middle, between C. Gait and D. McLaughlan. ' As far as boxing was concerned, it wasn't a gallop for Gait, yet "McLaughlan, the winner," was yelled. So did the crowd, only they yelled hoots instead. j If Gait's win could be measured iii j yards, he would be talking with Byrd down at the Bay Whales. The'difference could not have been less. This is the sort of thing that has gained for • the : association "a- nasty -name, and until it puts its house m order andj digs up new judges and another referee, it will slip back into the possie it was m four years ago — i non est. » ■