ATHLETICS. BOXING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13095, 7 February 1906, Page 7

ATHLETICS.

BOXING.

11l the course of the next wetflc or two it should be definitely known whether G. A. Wheatley, the Victorian distance runner, will accompany Nigel Barker to Athens to compete in the Olympian Games. Should lie not go, then every effort should bo made to get Wheatley to compete in the New Zealand championships at Dunedin in the first week in March. With the Dunedin crack Hector Burk and the Victorian fit and well the struggle for supremacy in the halfmile and one mile New Zealand championships would be worth going a long way to 61-2.

Georges Hackenschmidt, the " Russian Lion," and Ahmed Madrali, the "Terrible Turk," are to meet again to wrestle for the championship of the world at Olympia. The "Russian Lion" more than once of lato has been publicly taunted with his apparent unwillingness to meet the Turk, but now he has agreed definitely to the match. The arrangements will probably be similar to those made for the famous match in January, 1904. No one who witnessed the match between these giants at Olympia is ever likely to forget the great audience around the arena or the excitement which followed the swift fall of Madrali. The match, it will be remembered, was all over in about 45 seconds. The giants swayed for a moment. Then Madrali fell with a groan, and in an instant Hackenschmidt had pressed both his shoulders to the mat. The Turk's right elbow had been dislocated. There has been no little difficulty in arranging the match, owing to the stringency of Hackenschmidt's music hall engagements, but this difficulty has been overcome.

THE NORTHERN ASSOCIATION AND

GOSLING.

The secretary of the Northern Boxing Association, instructed by the committee, writes:—"l have been advised by the executive of my association to reply to the remarks which appeared in your issue of the 31st ult., concerning the intended visit of Mr. Gosling' to participate in the finals of the championships at Auckland on December 28 and 2b and as to the charge of alleged remissness on the part of the Northern Association, and that the whole of the responsibility if or his non-appearance 'must rest with the Auckland governing body. I desire to emphatically deny and entirely repudiate the suggestion that this association was responsible for the absence of Mr. Gosling, who, prior to leaving this city, promised to return to Auckland tor the carnival when the dates were fixed owing to the generous treatment meted out to him by the officials here, his expenses to be paid by the Northern Association. This was perfectly understood and agreed to by both sides, in fact, the Northern Association wished to keep him here until the carnival took place, but he assured the committee that, immediately he had fulfilled his engagement at E'ulmerston North op December 15 lie would return here for our carnival. When the lad reached Wellington ho ascertained that the Manawatu Association had arranged for him to box at Palmerston North on Boxing Night instead of December 13 as previously decided. This information was communicated to the Northern Association, who had decided to hold their carnival on December 22 and 23, but altered the dates to meet Mr. Gosling's convenience to December 28 and 29. 1 wrote to the secretary of the Wellington Association on .December 13 advising him of the change, and staling that we were anxiously looking forward for Gosling to be present at our carnival, as his absence would considerably militate against our success. To this letter i did not receive a reply, but later in December, to clinch matters, I wired the secretary of the Wellington Association asking him to advise earliest date Gosling could reach Auckland. He replied to the following effect: —'Thursday. 28th. Employer .slates imperative back here the following Monday." The first intimation that 1 received that Mr. Go-ling was unable to attend was from the secretary of the Palmerston North Association in answer to a wire from me as to whether Gosling was o-- bis wn\ North. At the same time I also wired Gosling. Mr. Louisson replied, staling that Go-ling was injured, and had returned to Wellington. Subsequently | received k telegram from Gosling, which reached me late on pecembet 28, to

the effect, that he had injured his band and would not be able to attend thei ctrjMUj and, as far a* I can recollect, this official communication was received too late to allow me to place it before the public. ine question arises, however, as to whetner i should have acted on the wire received Irom the secretary of the Palmerston North Association, but we decided to wait for gosling's own reply. Shortly after this I wrote Mr. Gosling on the matter, and the reply 1 received will in itself completely exonerate this club and refute trie statement that he could have made the trip although injured, providing sufficient time had been given him. The letter is as follows:—'ln reply to yours of the 6th mst. 1 am very much" surprised to hear that sucn a statement has got round at your centre about mv not coming up to participate in the championship because my expenses were not earlier remitted me. In answer to the above I say that it has no foundation whatever, because I intended to leave the next morning after the contest at Palmerston North for Auckland, at my own expense, knowing that it would be refunded when I arrived. As you know I sprained my wrist in the last round against »pi Thomas at Palmerston North, so I wired you the same mentioned as above. 1 was very sorry at my not being able to make the trip, "but you can see for yourself, it was no use of me. coming up and not be able to partake in the championship, at the same time putting your association to unnecessary expense. Once again thanking you for your hospitality extended to me while at your centre. —(Signed) J- Lxosling.' I think the above letter speaks for itself and gives the Auckland public the true position of affairs and clearly indicates that the Northern body did all in its power to arrrange for the attendance of Mr. Gosling. The evidence on this' point is irrefutable and clearly exonerates the association from the imputation of remissness and responsibility in the matter —R. N. KkenaX, Secretary."