A CORNER IN BOXING?

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 47, 24 August 1904, Page 2

A CORNER IN BOXING?

COME REMINISCENCES IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUivCIL.

There was a change in the Legislative Council yesterday from the dull debates that have so tar occupied that Chamber this «e*!siou, the occasion being the proposed second reading o? tho Police Ode noes Act 'Amendment Bill, which aims at the. regulation of amateur boxing contests. The Hon. J f Rigg contended that the Bill was quite unnecessary, inasmuch ns there had been pructiua.ly no prize fighting in tho colony oi lute yearn, nor hud any one been recenky killed us the result of a contest. He could suggest a reason for the introduction of the Bill, however. It appeared to him that it aimed at creating a, monopoly of boxing in favour of a recently-formed association, under whoso auspices, it was piupo»ed, alt box.ng in the colony should take place. Under the BiU any exponents of the ristio art who might visit tins country would not be able, to aupuiir except under the auspices of tho association. He had seen professional glovo fights and he had seen amateur contests under the present association, and he had seen very litUe difference between them, and very little to take exception to. He deprecated converting boxing into a "garden party" game, and eulogised the sport as one of tho best and most manly forma of exercise. He did not, 'however, approve of handing it over to thu select fow for their special bentttt. There were ample safeguards in the refervo, tho police, and the press against any undue brutality. He hoped the Bill would bo so amended in committee as to prevent such a monopoly being created as was proposed. The Hon. H. Scotland,- who remarked that he had seen Jem Maco, and thut Mnce was skilful without being brutal, urged that there were no Jem Mnces in the colony, and that undue severity was often exhibited by colonial boxers. He instanced a ciuse in Auckland in which a. young man had been fatally injured by being forced over the ropes, land ho urged that ropes should be done away with as being positively dangerous. The Hon. S. T. George supported the Bill and expressed tho opinion that boxing oiten degenerated into prizo-fighting. The Hon. C. C. Bowen, who p. ended guilty of 'having tukvn boxing lessons at Bendigo long ago, und who consequently spoke, with some knowledge, considered that the sport required careful control The Hon. G. Jones mentioned that when at, school ho hud otteii been engaged in "a scrap," and hud seen others similarly engaged. He wou.d not go to a boxing contest now, und he supported the Bill, inasmuch us it would banish the brutal and blackguard element from the sport. Tho Attorney-General having replied, tho second rending of the Bill was ngreed to on the voices.