BOXING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 197, 18 August 1906, Page 12

BOXING.

The Northern Boxing Association's team who represented. Auckland at. the Championship Canjival ;held recently, in Wellington, returned last Tuesday after an absence of a week. They- all speak in high terms of the treatment received by them from the local association, but were considerably disappointed over several of the decisions given in several of the weights.

Next year Auckland will have the New Zealand Championships-here. The Council decided to. grant -this for the purpose of giving a nlip to hosing in this city.

John McConnell, Auckland's heavyweight chaanpion, was picked to represent New Zealand at the forthcoming Australasian Championships in Sydney. Mr W. G.- Atack will manage the NewZealand team who will tour Australia.

Reports state that the regent Championship Carnival held by the New Zealand Boxing Council in Wellington was a veritable triumph. All classes of the community, from his Excellency the Governor -down, patronised and supported the meeting, and the manner in which the entire arrangements were carried out reflects the highest credit upon the Wellington. Boxing Association and its energetic and untiring secretary, Mr Coffey, and. nothing was left undone to secure success and the comfort of the visit teams by this "gentleman.

Perhaps in the annals of the boxing as far as New Zealand is concerned there never was such a galaxy of talent aprayed against one another to contest for supremacy, and possibly no carnival of recent years has produced such interest and keen competition amongst competitors and enthusiasts. Each division attracted a great field, and every heat was contested with the utmost fairness and manliness, the Auckland boys in particular coming in for frequent outbursts of applause from the large audience for superior and manly tactics. If ever Wellington and Auckland were unanimous it was on this occasion, and throughout the various contests the sympathies of the Wellingtonians were with Auckland. The unprecedented demonstration against the decision of the referee in the case of young Blewden fully indicated this. There is hot the slightest .doubt that Blewden beat Parker, of Dunedin, and could beat him every day in the week. Such, at any rate was the opinion of older and more expert judges than the referee, Dr. Balfour Neill. For fully ten minutes after the decision was given the audience proclaimed loudly their dissatisfaction and disagreement with it. In' fact, this is not the only occasion that the referee failed to discriminate and judge wisely. His judgments throughout were characterised by inexperience and incompetence to control contests. Certainly, I quite realise as a sport that he had a very difficult task in many instances, but the bouts between Lewis, of Auckland, and Mologhney (Wellington), McConnell (Auckland), Robertson (Ashburton), showed beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was entirely at sea, and the decisions were paralysers to the audience, who showed their disapprobation in a marked form. Not only this, but the fact that the New Zealand Council have picked J. McConnell to represent New Zealand at the Australasian Championships in preference to Pearson, the man that won the heavy-weight 'bout, clearly indicate that their views coincide not at all with the decision of the referee. McConnell, in his division, gave a much finer and neater exposition of the manly art; altogether ,his style W-as superior and his hitting cleaner, in addition to

giving a splendid exhibition of footwork. How Balfour Neill arrived at his decision was astounding. It was a perfect surprise to the audience and McConnell's opponent alike, who subsequently expressed his astonishment at receiving the verdict. Lewis also had the misfortune to be treated in a similar manner, and the decision in this case caused considerable disappointment amongst the audience, and cvCn officials connected with the carnival, as there is not the slightest doubt that for effective and clever work in his class Lewis is put down as one of the best middle weights in the colony. If Nash, the winner of this division, cannot visit Australia the Council have decided to take Lewis over in his place, showing beyond doubt that i he is recognised at headquarters to be a top-notcher. Lewis was greatly cut up over the decision, and expressed his willingness to meet the winner of the championship; but this, however, is reserved for next year, when the NewZealand Championships will be held in' Auckland. Blewden has made a great name for himself in Wellington, where he is looked upon as New Zealand's "Joe Goddard," and the finest natural boxer seen in the Empire City. It is most remarkable that the worst man in his division secured the championship. "Parker and Maizey fought in the final, but owing to the severe task previously set Parker against Blewden he was not able to last out the final, so the champion-j ship in consequence went to an inferior lad. Godfrey, in his class, was matchless. His superior skill and remarkably clever footwork distanced all opponents. This fine young boxer won the hearts of the Wellington audience by his manly and gentlemanly conduct, and was applauded frequently in each 'bout. Ward was outclassed by Tracy in the final of the bantams. This, however, was expected, seeing that Tracy is a much more experienced lad, and his appearance indicated that he was much stronger in every way than Ward. The Northern Boxing Association's team throughout earned the name of being the cleverest and best behaved combination visiting the Empire City for the championships, and Manager Keenan states that no man could wish to travel with a better class of lads. They kept •assiduously to theiratraining and retired regularly at 9.30 every evening. In fact,. Mr Donnelly, at whose hotel they stayed in Wellington, said that they were the quietest body of men he has had to deal with since he commenced business. The championships attracted representatives from Auckland, Taranaki, Opun- j ake, Wellington, Christchurch, Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru. and Dunedin, and altogether about 40 competed. The Opera House was crowded both evenings, and the Wellington Association used every endeavour to make the stay of each team as pleasant as possible. i The Northern Boxing Association, Auckland, will carry out the New Zealand Championships early . next year, and representation has been promised from each centre. ' This matter has been finally fixed. Gault, of the Auckland Association, travelled to Wellington, but the Council decided not to let him compete, as he was not a representative of an affiliated Association. At the conference of representatives from the various Associations it was also decided' that in the interests of. boxing only one Association would be affiliated in each centre, and that the Police Offences Amendment Act should be altered to give the New Zealand Boxing Council supreme control throughout New Zealand, and that one

- . . . . ,i . . . i. .. i . '^T^ m^^'. local Association only should be legalised. This wa< the unanimaua opinion of members', and -that the .Commissioner of -Police should; be immediately com*: municated with ;f or the purpose -of ;re- : commending the *WithhoHing :of permits ; to unaffiliated bodies. "lie conference ' considered that decisive steps should be taken j:his year to secure the necessary legislation to protect affiliated bodies.