PUT OUT FOR LIFE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 26, 20 June 1914, Page 7

PUT OUT FOR LIFE.

A BOXER'S PUNISHMENT. DISCOVERY OF AN ALLEGED "FRAME UP."

Ohriatcliurch, June 17. At the Christahurdi Sporta Club tournament on June 2nd, a return icontest was staged between N. Vernall, of Christchurch and W. Ireland, of Waipawa, and the committee of the club subsequently decided to disqualify both boxers, as they were unanimously of the opinion, from their personal observations and from information from other sources, that their bout was a "fake." Both contestants were called I upon to show cause why they should not be disqualified, and appeared before a committee last evening. It was explained to Vernall and Ireland that the committee were unanimously of opinion that the bout was, in Americans' terms a "frame up" and were compelled in the interests of true, clean sport, to take actions to protect their patrons against fraud. After cross-questioning both men, the following resolution was unanimously! .passed:—'-That owing to the tactics i displayed by, ''V. Ireland, this committee ] considers that in the interests of the ! sport, it is undesirable that he be any longer connected with the sport in New Zealand, and hereby disqualifies him for life."

In connection with Vernall, the committee resolved: "Having reference to the case of K. Vernall, the committee considers that lie was not concerned in anv unfair tactics in his contest with W. Ireland."

I Under the heading of "Farcical and luwßritish," to-night's Star says: "It is I an axiom of tritish law that a criminal | must he regarded as innocent until i proven guilty. 'We do not suppose that i the Canterbury Sporte Club is much concerned about axioms of any kind, I but its methods <an only be designated as singularly un-British. Let our readers run their eyes down the report of the proccicdifig,s of the Sports pjub last night and r.sk themselves what they think of tlie metr.wte employed by the committee. AVithctit any evidenco, save, that of the admittedly conflicting evidence of their own eyes, they at. the conclusion that there had Tseen a "frame up." lioth parties denied it Xo evidence was called; there wag nothing to go on save so-ai? suspicious appearances, and the hoarse whispering of some suppositious man in the street. Ireland is supposed to have made a 'pot of money' from some hypothetical, bookmaker for 'running a slinter.' yet he pathetically, and probably truthfully,- tol<i his high-browed interrogators that he hadn't got enough money for 5, return, fare. In the face of this, although Vernall was told that he didn't hit hard enough to knock <a child over in the crucial round, he was : di.-diaiged without a sti'in on his eliaratter, and Ireland was abruptly informed that his offence, whate#r it was would deprive him of further boxing m toriety for the term of hisi natural life. "We do not wonder that the press was asked, as an afterthought, to exercise a judicious reticence in the mention of names."