Indian-Wrestler Raises Difficulty

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 740, 13 August 1929, Page 13

Indian-Wrestler Raises Difficulty

MATCH WITH ALLEY

CONTEST NOW ARRANGED

After much talking in English and Punjabi, the question of a. Inatch be—tween Tom Alley and NaranJun Singn was lmuused at. a meeting or the New Zealand “‘restling Assocxation yesteruuy afternoon.

. Alley and Naranjan will meet on; September ‘.2, if the Town liull is‘ available on that date, for a. side—3 wager of .2100 and a. division of thei gate _moncy, the bout to be of eight! IU-mluutc rounds. The Inoney, winch is to be paid in on August 19, will! be held by The Sun Newspapers. Ltd.’ In addition to members ot‘ the as-g sociation. \Val Johansson, runner Vance and Naranjan Sing]: attended the meeting. 311'. C. E. Browne was in tho chair. and Dr. B. 5. Share acted us interpreter, Tho inceting was held to endeavour to arrive at the truth, it having been alleged that the position had not been niziao cit-air to tho association and to! Naranjan Singh at tho last meeting. when it was decided that, as the [ndian_would not continue with his challenge, he torfeited the deposit he made when he challenged Alley. Mr. W. E. Grant. treasurer of the association, said that there had apparently been a mistake, or that a wrong impression had been made. Three weeks ago Naranjan had challenged Alley and had deposited £25. It was thought best to try him out. and he consented to meet in. local man. Alley accepted the challenge but at the nieeting to arrange the match the Indian had raised a variety of objections. It had. been impossible to arrange the match and it had fallen through! Naranjau forfeiting his deposit.‘ 1 Through Dr. Share, Naranjan saidl that the challenge was in abeyance. He understood that he had to put £25 down and £75 afterward. and said that Mr. Grant and Santer Singh (who had been acting in the Indian’s interest) had said that the challenge had lapse-d. ‘ “I am not in a position in the asso-i elation to make matches or to break. them," said Mr. Grant. "I did not say the match was ofif." . ‘ The Chairman: We are not trying‘: to steal this man's £25. If he wants to wrestle there are plenty of men‘ who will \vrestle with him. Naranjan said he was Willing to wrestle Vance on August 19. Santa. Singh wanted to know if it was thought that he had been misleading Naranjan and was assured that such an opinion was not held. In answer to a question, Naranjan said he would wrestle on August 19 for £35 and half the gate money. He could not wrestle for £IOO because he' had not got it. V Santa. Singh had asked him to wrestle under any conditions. Santa. Singh contended that he had not been told that there was money from the last match waiting at the office for Naranjan. a statement which Mr. Grant emphatically. denied. . Mr. C. B. McCarthy. the secretary, said that Naranjan said he would wrestle for £IOO, and had deposited ‘ £25. 11 he had not the rest of the ‘money to back himself he must for}teit. _ _ _ .. ..'._

Alley offered to giVe back the £25 which had been paid to him as forfeit, and said he would wrestle the Indian‘ at a. future date when Naranjan had trained into good condition, but he would not wrestle him for £35. which he said was too small an amount. Santa Singh said he would guarantee £llOO for a match after August :26 it the decision was on a. fall and not on points. Considerable discussion and argument was heard regarding points and falls, the Indian having a. decided aversion to a match being decided, in the event of no falls. on points. his opinion being that once one man had gained a. fall the match should end. The chairman said that the association had strained the in“: quite far enough in an endeavour t cater for the Indian. He must wrestle under the association‘s rules. ' Alley said he was quite prepared to meet Narnnjan ‘under‘, the Indian’s OWn conditions in a gymnasium at any time about August 26. but this. did not meet with the approval or the Indian. who wanted to wrestle out in the open. The Chairman: VVe can't alter the rules just to please him. The next man to come along might want 'to alter the rules, too, and then where would we be? Mr. Grant: \Ve have given him every possible chance. and because he can‘t wrestle under his own conditions he won‘t wrestle at all. - The position appeared to be at a deadlock when a. conference between Santa Singh and Naranjan Singh re-’ sulted in an agreement being reached. The association's next contest will take place at the Town Hall on lVlonday evening. when “Farmer" Vance will wrestle Maraoei Gardini.