BOXING

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 112, 11 April 1929, Page 3

BOXING

MANAWATU ASSOCIATION. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Manawatu Boxing Association was held last evening, Mr Earle Wimsett presiding over a good attendance of members. The annual report and balance-sheet (as published previously) were adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of officers resulted: — Patron, Mr A. J. Graham; president, Mr Earle Wimsett; vice-presidents, Messrs E. L. Barnes, F. Cousins, H. M. Essex and E. A. Hamilton; hon. auditor, Mr R. Davis; committee, Messrs B. McGrath, D. Armstrong, E. Scott, G. Watchorn, M. O’Brien, J. Purves, V. Goldfinch, C. Aitchison and R. E. Hatch; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr J. P. Evans; timekeepers, Messrs Weston J. Smith and s W. Randell; hon. medical officers, Drs C. King, Hunter Will and Durward. GENERAL. The opinion was expressed, by Mr F. Cousins that, in view of the heavy expenditure incurred last year and the number of professional bouts staged, the membership fee (at present £1 Is) should be increased , Possibly, an alternative would •be to decrease the number of professional fights. „Tlie matter was debatable. Replying, Mr Wimsett said that it was the association’s intention to put on as many professional fights as were possible, if it were _ thought that they would prove attractive. He would suggest that the subscription be increased. Opposition to any increase in the subscription was made by Messrs G. Watchorn and J. O’Meara, who considered that such a move would be a mistake. The same view was held by Mr Clinton. Mr L. Poupard was in favour of an increase, but suggested a junior membership. Regarding, attractions, possibly two fights on an evening with, say, £SO purses, would be found advantageous. i The chairman pointed out that there was already a junior membership, but the £SO purse fights were questionable. Mr Aitchison was strongly in favour of the £1 Is membership fee, as a larger number of enthusiasts would be retained. Mr J. Louisson was in favour of limiting the membership, and he suggested that every satisfaction would be obtained if the matter. were left to the committee. If the financial position were sound, it was a wise move to keep the membership down, in order to have ringside seats available. This made a great difference to the takings. After a further discussion, it was decided that the subscription be fixed at £1 Is. On the question of providing purely amateur tourneys during the year, there was a considerable amount of discussion, Mr Poupard being of the opinion that local and district amateurs were not being encouraged by the association to the extent which they should. The sport depended very largely" upon the amateurs and if they were not given encouragement it would soon go back. . Amateur tourneys could be held to maintain the interest of the boys, and the association should, to an extent, be prepared to make good any losses incurred—to the speaker’s mind an improbable happening. Paliiatua had conducted amateur tourneys without loss and Palmerston North should be able to do the same. Several present supported Mr Poupard’s remarks and the latter, Mr Jurves and a member, who wished to remain anonymous, offered to guarantee £lO each towards any loss on an amateur tourney. After a further discussion, it was decided, on Mr F. Cousins’s suggestion, to recommend to the incoming committee that it should foster an amateur 'training school in Palmerston North.