BOXING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 April 1938, Page 9

BOXING

NEW ZEALAND TEAM. EMPIRE GAMES PERFORMANCES. CRITICISM REPLIED TO. WELLINGTON, This Day. A complaint by the Auckland Boxing Association to the New Zealand Council regarding the criticism of the New Zealand boxers’ performances at the Empire Games was referred by the council to Mr F. H. Hughes, manager of the boxing team, who, in the course of his reply, said that the wonderful showing by the New Zealanders against the cream of the Empire was most satisfactory. The standard at the Games was mostly very high and the New Zealanders were freely congratulated. Mr Hughes points out that the four New Zealanders were beaten by the eventual winners and if the draw had been different they might well have reached the finals, which would have been considered satisfactory. Heeney, who reached the final, was by no means the best New Zealand boxer. It was absurd to say that New Zealand lacks efficient coaches. All the boys displaying a good knowledge of the game. Owing to their being small they had to adopt different tactics from what they were used to in New Zealand. Their knowledge of boxing enabled them to overcome difficulties quickly and most of them, were highly regarded by their opponents. The remarks concerning the standard of the boxers and the lack of efficient coaches were not correct and were made through lack of a knowledge of boxing.