TWO ARTICLES

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31462, 31 August 1967, Page 13

TWO ARTICLES

Two recent articles in “The Press” by the boxing reporter are criticised by the president of the Canterbury Boxing Trainers’ Association (Mr W. Darrell) who comments: “It seems to me that it is about time someone took your boxing reporter apart.

“Last Saturday he said that the C.B.A. was scraping the bottom of the barrel in sending J. Barnes to the national junior championships (Barnes has since proved him wrong) and R. Thompson to the New Zealand senior championships next month.

“I train both these boys and 1 say that both have trained hard with Brian Kendall, Ron Carstairs and Hugh Bullmore all this season. Both have been offered for matching in tournaments all over the South Island over the last two months, but have not been able to be matched “Both are definitely in championship class Are they to be penalised because they have not been matched? “Your boxing reporter says in this morning’s paper (last Monday) that 20 to 30 boys start at the beginning of the season at each gymnasium in Christchurch. “This is not true; one or two gym.’s: maybe; all gym.'s: no. L myself, at Linwood Boys' Club this year started with 12, and some of the others with less than that. The tapering off always happens, regardless of the number of tournaments offering “He states that the C.B.A only organised the Canterbury amateur championships.

Does he know that the C.B.A. financed 13 boys to the Blenheim tournament a few weeks ago, paid the expenses of boys to go to the Strongman Mine Disaster Relief Fund boxing tournament in Greymouth, and has sent teams all over the South Island in support of the smaller associations who cannot finance professionals?

“Does he know that of the number of names submitted for these tournaments only a small percentage are accepted?

“Does he know that at a meeting of the C.B.A. executive only last Tuesday evening it was agreed that more amateur tournaments would be promoted, and also that the C.B.A. has an amateur tournament next Monday? “Finally, how can parents of young boys who are keen to learn boxing have faith tn trainers or associations when wild statements are printed in papers without inquiry from the proper quarters and all relevant factors gathered “Please, for the sake of a good, clean sport let the statements be as clean as the sport itself, particularly in New Zealand,” Mr Darrell said.