BOXING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15922, 7 May 1912, Page 3

BOXING.

NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Boxing Council was held on May 2. Mr J. R. Evans presiding. ' The annual report stated that the season, from a competition point of view, had been of more than average interest. A numher of the Associations had taken advantage of the presence in Now. Zealand of three Australian lightweights to promote professional contests at regular intervals, consequently the professional side of the sport had received considerably more attention than usual. At the same time the interests of the amateur section had heen carefully guarded, so that, on the whole, the season might well be regarded as having boen from all points of view extremely satisfactory. During the season the membership had increased by one, but at its last meeting the Council Committee had decided to'cancel the Horowhenua Association's registration, while the v North Otago Association had heen disbanded. With respect to professional contests, several of the Associations had promoted two or three each. Tho light, welter, middle and heavy-weight championships had been competed, for, and at .the close of the season the respective holders were—A. Gault (Auckland), who had won from T. Tracy (Wellington and holder) on September 29; D. Murphy (Wellington), who had won from A. Leckie (Wellington) at Masterton on December 20; A. Leckie (Wellington), who had won from D. Burns at Christchurch on August 7; C. F. Herbert (Oamaru). who had won from J. Mitchell (Millerton) at Timaru on November 22. In connection with the professional side of the sport the committee remarked with regret the growing tendency of amateurs to secede from their class on attaining prominence in it. This could not be due to want of opoortunitv to compote, for amateurs we're well catered for. There was no doubt that the money prize alone was the attraction. It was with great regret that the Council had to record the death of Dr Napier M'Lean, of Wellington. The deceased gentleman had been an enthusiastic advocate of boxing, and had been rightly regarded as cue of the pillars of the sport in the dominion. As a referee his methods were along the lines which make for clean sport.and manly conduct, and in this and in other respects he had rendered very valuable service to the sport. The report also dealt with the amateur side of the sport, making referenco to the New Zealand and the Australasian championships. The balance sheet showed the receipts to have been £377 KSs, and the expenditure £273 2s od, leaving n, credit balance of'£lo4 13s 7d.

The report and balance sheet wero adopted. . The following officers were appointed: —Patron, Sir Joseph Ward ; committee, Messrs C. T. Aschman. C. J. Cooper, J. It. Evans, J. F. Grierson. P. W. Johnston, A. R. Kirk and .T. R.Uujver; honorary secretary', Mi - W. G. Atack. Mr H. E. Harsh was appointed auditor. The president for the year will be nominated by the Wellington Association. The chairman and Messrs Aschman and Kirk were appointed an executive to deal with matters of urgency. The New Zealand championships wore allotted to the Wellington Association.

Correspondence was received from the Hawke's Bay Centre dealing with a letter forwarded to it by the Council. The letter had been received by the Council from a competitor who had taken part in a recent tournament at Hastings and who had been suspended for refusing to compete, and contained an application to have the case reconsidered. As the Council had no power to act, the application was forwarded to the suspending body, which replied that it was unable to reopen the case.

The Hawke's Bay Association wrote stating that as J. M. Griffin had definitely retired from the ring, the Association proposed to raise a fund in his behalf, .and trusted that the Council would vote a contribution to the fund. In considering the matter the Council expressed its regret at the circumstances . which had brought about Griffin's retirement while ho was still in the prime of life,'but decided that it could not accede to the request, as in its opinion to aid a fund raised in the interests of a retiring professional boxer who was neither in indigent circumstances nor incapacitated from work, would be to establish a dangerous precedent. ■' The Council secretr-ry reported that, after the Council had granted the Greymouth Association permission to match , Mitchell and Ireland for the heavyl weight championship to take place at Greymouth on May 18, a telegram had been received from the Hawke s Hay I Association stating that Mitchell and I Thomas had bsea matched to meet .there on April 80, and asking that it should be for the el*mpionship if the MitchoU-Ireland match fell through to . + I"Xg of information from Greymouth that Ireland and Mitchell had agreed[to meet there, and asking the £ U W support in the matter, the H-wkej Bay Association had been >M° im 3} that, under the circumstances, * ]l ™ could not be permitted to bos else where until alter his match »»™ "T land on May 18. Mitchell was info™ ed of this decision, but ho appeared to have ignored it for some tune, iw ' had left Westport for Hastings r, however, bad telegraphed from 1-icton denying that he had made menti with the Greymouth Assoc ation. This body was immediately ed with.'and its president WJ* ,e * £j • Mitchell had agreed to the ma«u.

Documentary evidence showing this to be the case was subsequently forwarded to the Council. Mitchell was thereupon warned against competing at Hastings, and informed that defiance, of the instruction would lead to his suspension. The view was held that Mitchejl had entered into an agreement with each of the two bodies mentioned without either being aware of his action, and it was therefore suggested to the Greymouth Association that its objection to Mitchell meeting Thomas at Hastings on April 30 should be withdrawn, and that the winner of tho match should meet Ireland at Greymouth on May 18. The Association accepted the proposal, provided the conditions were agreed to by Mitchell and Thomas. The decision was conveyed to the Hawke's Bay Association, which carried out the MitchellThomas match on the date fixed.

The Council chairman read a lengthy communication that he had received from the chairman of the Hawlte's Bay Association. . The communication, in giving, the Association's version of the affair, took exception to tho manner in which tho matter had been dealt with, and protested agaiii3t the action of the Council secretary in taking it upon himself to decide it. The Council chairman said that the Hawke's Bay Association evidently hold entirely erroneous v.'ews on the matter, and had .lumped to conclusions in ignorance of tho facts. The Council secretary, at the outset, had reported the matter, and had taken his instructions from the Council. He had not acted on his own initiative. The opinion had been held all through that Mitchell was responsible for the trouble that had arisen, and, but for the sportsmanlike attitude of the Greymouth Association, his action would have created a most serious position. It.was decided to call on Mitchell for an immediate explanation of hisr'action.'

It ■ was also'decided to forward a statement of the case to affiliated bodies, and in doing so to convey to them the Council's opinion thit, in order-to maintain harmonious relations, local Associations must respect one another's engagements.

It was further aereed that, the case having raised a ruestion of vital importance to local Associations, it should be brought forward by the Council at the next Conference. The chairman and Mr A. I\. Kirk were authorised to reply to the letter received from, the chairman of the Hawke's Bay Association.