BOXING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9657, 14 July 1919, Page 2

BOXING.

Tho best augury for the success of the newly-formed Ashburton Sports Club was the strong emphasis laid by the various speakers at the recent meeting on the necessity for amateurism. Mr McElrea put the case^ very strongly in outlining the history of the former local Boxing Association. No doubt the best guarantee for good clean 'sport lies just here—in keeping the good old game strictly amateur as far as Ashburton is concerned. This town cannot support professionalism, and even if it could, the real interest in boxing is a clean match between keen youngsters; boxing for the sake of the sport, not for the purse. "Onlooker" hears that the new club is out to encourage science. For instance, if of two boxers, A and B, A shows the greater science, but B by hanging off, knocks A out, the match would still be awarded to A. This is a step in the right direction to draw in the best class of prospective amateurs.

The Sports Club has excellent prospects of success. The list of members already approaches the* century, and with so strong a backing from their seniors, the colts should be well cared for. It is proposed to Import an instructor or coach and to make only a nominal charge for instruction, the Club subsidising the instructor. The boys will thus not be debarred from learning on account of heavy' quarterly fees for ' coaching. Physical culture classes are also in prospect'to improve generally the form and stamina of novices. In fact ,the whole scheme- should do much to give a new interest to the young men of a town where there are too few legitimate diversions or entertainments to fill out the empty evening hours. In passing, it may be noted that Ashburton, which used, to run two ladies' hockey clubs and physical culture classes: for/ladies throughout the County, now entirely neglects this valuable form of training. Perhaps the new instructor might be induced to Jehd a hand in this direction. A public gymnasium, as suggested by Mr. MeGibbon, would be a great boon, but this is a matter to be kept hi view when financial success is assured.

Some of the local old-timers have awakened to a lively interest in the Sports Club and several have offered their services in any w«y, even to acting as punching balls in a private exhibition. It is a good spirit. Other associations in Canterbury and Otago have offered to assist by sending up young boxers to help along a tournament, and there is in Ashburton at present a new arrival who won the heavy-weight championship at an Army school at Newmarket, England. •

There is good news from various County centres as to the progress of the boxing revival. Classes have already been formed at Mayfield, Springburn and Chertsey. These are all under the supervision of enthusiastic oldtimers, all of whom are no strangers to the ring. Mr W. J. Robertson, at Mayfield, Mr J. H. Gundry with helpers at Springburn, and Mr P. Hampton at Chertsey are coaching the boys and Ashburton will have to step lively if we do not want to have the country sports beating us in boxing as they have managed to do already in senior football.