WELLINGTON BOXING ASSOCIATION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 100, 27 April 1912, Page 9

WELLINGTON BOXING ASSOCIATION.

ENCOURAGEMENT OF AMATEURISM. The ninth annual meeting of the Wellington Boxing Association was held at the Chamber of Commerce last night. Dr. A., W. Izard was voted ,to the chair, and there was a good attend' ance of members. ' In moving the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet (a digest of which has already been published), the Chairman referred to the great loss the. association had sustained 'in tho death of Dr. Napier Maclean, who had eet a high standard for his successoi", whoever he might be. The past year had been very successful, and he con gratulated Mr. Sampson on tho effi cieut way in winch he had carried out his duties a« referee. In regard to tho use of the Town Hall for boxing purposes, he urged that the association should take a hand in municipal elections, so as to see 'that a "wowser" council was not elected. Mr. R. W. M'Villy seconded the motion, but pointed out that the financial position was £96 worse than it was last year. In thie connection he* said the association had been accused of running contents' for profit and not for sport ; this balance-sheet showed that the association had gone in for sport, and not for profit. (Hear, hear.) He held that every section of the community had a right to the use of the Town Hall so long as their exhibitions were conducted properly," artd,, he job j&jted. to their having to "scrap" periodically for the ueo of the hall. Ac to "the 'late Dr. Maclean, he said the present position of the association waa greatly due to the energy, capability, honesty, and earnestness of that gentleman. The treasurer (Mr. W. BeauchampPlatte) said he had asked members in arrear for their subscriptions, but, even so, many had not yet paid. ' The Chairman remarked that the association was registered, and members who had not paid their subscription could be sued, The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The election of officers resulted as follow : — Patron, Sir Joseph Ward (re elected) ; President, Dr. A. W. Izard ; vice-presidents, Messrs. 11. Nelson,. R. M'Villy, J. H. Owen, C. B. Rodgere, E. Blundell, Dr. H. J. M'Lean, and Dr. James ; management committee, Messrs.' J. L. Day, G. Ryap, J. E. Staples, B. A. Guise, C. E. Bridge, W. Cook, W. A. Fordham, T. Sampson, and N. Coffey ; medical examiners, Drs. Herbert, Gilmer, Harding (re-elected) ; hon. solicitor, Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P. (re-elected) ; hon. auditor, Mr. W. C. S. Levers (re-elected) ; hon. treasurer, Mr. W. Beaaphamp-Platts ; hon. secretary, Mr. W." G. Talbot. In connection, with, the election of a representative in Australia, Mr. G. Ryan said he thought the official in question could easily have selected men to come over here and box for smaller purses — and just as good' men as had been selected in the past. ("Hear, hear.") Mr. M'Villy said his experience was that good men would not come over.' here to box for small pursea. They could, do better over the other side. After further discussion tho appointment of a representative in Australia was left to the incoming committee. In the course of a discussion, Mr. Beauchamp-Platts declared that the association had not don© ite duty to the amateurs of Wellington, in that they had not backed up the committee in an endeavour to promote a sufficient number of amateur contests. The only way in which amateurs could be encouraged was to Lave a room in which they could go through their contests. Ho and the secretary had a project to secure a sectiou in a near-by suburb, where they could build a hall capable of seating 300 members, with a full-eised dressingroom and baths and dressing-rooms, at a total expenditure of £1000. If such a scheme was carried out they would have decent amateur boxers, but they could only get what they ■ wanted by tlio expenditure of money. Mr. E. Blundell endorsed what Mr. Platts had *«aid, and remarked that they only got about half the members to answer the circular thait was. sent iround on the subject of the erection of a hall. He sincerely hoped that members would take more interest in the business of the association in future. Mr. M'Villy said' that the association had all along had th© interest* of the amateurs at heart, and all the time they had been faced with monetary difficulty. After further discussion the subject dropped. ' The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman.