WANGANUI AND THE PRIZE RING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9047, 7 May 1888, Page 3

WANGANUI AND THE PRIZE RING.

TO THJfi EDITOR. Sir, The ignorance of the truth regarding Wanganui exhibited by enlightened and favoured Auckland is infamous. I protest against the '' qualified " apology Mercutio makes in Saturday's paper. Wanganui is not the centre of the prize ring. ' There is as little interest taken there in prize fighting as in any town in New Zealand. Why the champion contests are to be fought there I don't know—not certainly by request and desire of, the Wanganui people. Probably Wanganui has been pitched upon by the Auckland and Wellington and other outside pugilistic rings as a handy rendezvous, without regard to the wishes or feelings of the townspeople themselves. There is far more interest and excitement in Auckland over the result of a fight than in any New Zealand town, and it is sad to read the special telegrams and extras and columns of description from " Our Own Correspondent," after a prize fight. Surely with such a public taste as this, noone here could cast a stone at Wanganui, even if it were the centre of the prize ring. But Mercutio—usually so well informed— cannot possibly be so much in the dark as not to know that the several hundreds who paid their half-sovereigns to witness the prize-fight" were nearly all strangers. It is unfair to saddlo Wanganui with the folly of such characters as these must have been. Some Wanganui natives were on the course, no doubt, but few of them could have afforded to travel several hundred miles to get there, as many Aucklanders did— fewer would have gone had they been able. To imagine such a thing is ah insult. Mercutio must have been quite unaware of the standing and opinion? of the Mayor and Councillors of Wanganui to allow himself to be hoaxed by a telegram stating that a half-holiday had been given to allow 300 people—mostly strangers—to witness a prize fight. Auckland and Wellington are rivals for the patronage of the tradespeople of Wanganui and its district. It is surely almost needless to point out that such articles as have appeared lately in the Press here are copied into the Wanganui papers with comments ; the result cannot but De the stirring up of unpleasant and hostile feelings towards Auckland, feelings that must influence more or less the minds and actions of the business and respectable portion of the Wanganui community in their dealings with this city. We Wanganui people are, naturally, and like everyone else, touchy if our town is run down even in jest.—l am, etc. Wanganui.