AN ASSOCIATION'S AFFAIRS.

NZ Truth, Issue 472, 4 July 1914, Page 10

AN ASSOCIATION'S AFFAIRS.

Mr. Dyer's Last Word

What Does Silence Signify?

• Thus F. H. Dyer (Auckland):— m the face of accusation, -usually signifies admission; that; the Charges ' made rare correct, and I feel 'that the stolid silence of Greenbough; Ballin and Co., In the public trial they have been undergoing proves. my contentions. " lst—That the management of the affairs of the N.B.A. is deplor.able, 2nd— That the funds have been misapplied. 3rd-— That the sport . of boxing "is a secondary consideration. ■'4th— -That thp admissions of Mr. jGreenbough ' .';; , . ' .

MAKE IT, IN MY OPINION, CLEAR that the present secretary is. quite, incapable, of conducting the duties of the position he occupies, while the attempt to hobble myself while occupying a judicial position; makes it abundantly apparent that the welfare of the

/ sport is riot m good hands. No further carnivals are' announced, and, apart , .from the fact that members of the Association have, up to the present, taken no public steps to purify the administration, I feel that the governing body have infereritially admitted their in- > eptitude m not immediately applying their power (circumscribed tnough , it be) .towards protecting both line sport and the public from further maltreatment at the hands of the local controlling body. What the general body of members think of the conduct of their executive, I cannot surmise, but I know numbers of gentlemen who (though ardent sportsmen) have signified their intention to quit' connection with the Bport of boxing till its control shall be beyond reproach, and I have received sheaves of * ' - , ■LETTERS OF CONGRATULATION and offers of assistance to purge the present position into a stage more approaching purity. This can more apOy be , done by the members of the Association themselves ; their rules are elastic enough, their sense of fairness and self- protection should be sufficient, and, if they need assistance, I will willingly give it to them. I could occupy columns of your valuable space with further disclosures regarding- the misdeeds of the people who unfortunately control tho sport of boxing m this city, but there is no pleasure m kicking a dead dog, and unless the members of the N.BjV. make some effort to galvanise the 1 body corporate from its lethargy, I feel that 'the sport will be held iri contempt, by i the public, .who will hot patronise any movement, the control of which is riot clean." Does not Mr. Dyer err when he states that Messrs; - Greeribough ' and Ballin, Treasurer arid secretary, of the Northern Boxing Association, did riot reply to him? As a matter of fact, the gentlemen named did reply, arid did not mince matters. However, Mr. Dyer has been given space m these columns to deal with the affairs of Jtho N.8.A., I and it has to be; admitted, m fact, is admitted, that he has stirred up things generally. . The stern critic must not complain, if, m turn, he- is criticised. Mr. Dyer, as an. ex-^member of the committee, has brought to light matters which he admits he kept quiet on at the time they j were brought about. When these wrong acts were coriimittcd, ,the course l^ft open to Mr. Dyer was to have resigned as a protest, and not to wait till such time as he was a defeated candidate at tho election of officers, before ; '•■'..' "BLOWING THE QA^F." "Truth" has its own opinion concernIng the management of boxing, not only by the N.8.A., but by numerous boxing Associations m tho Dominion, and what passes as the correct thing In one body is votjed "out" m Another. If everything is not right with tho N.B.A. management, if illegal things are being done, and Mr. Dyer has asserted and reasserted , that illegal things have been done, then it is for the members of the. N.B.A. to requisition the committee to call a general special meeting. Really, this would bo tho best way out of the difficulty, ' though "Truth"- now understands that Mr. Dyer has severed all connection with tho Association. "Truth" is, m tho matter, a disinterested party, and wants to bo fair. As for the assertion that no matches have been announced, what about tho provincial championships and tho Lowo-Marquot match? Cortalnly, owing to circumstances over which it had no control, the clrcum-

stance of Lowe injuring his hand, thg N.B.A. has been put to providing a substitute for Lowe, and Mr. Dyer ought to know just as well as "Truth" that matches are not made m a minute. On the other hand, some matches take months to make, and then fall through. "Truth" isn't apoligising for or excusing the N.B.A. It seems to have become a very active body of late, and Mr. Dyer ought to take the credit to himself that he has galvanised it. Perhaps it will be retorted that the activity is due to the fact that Mr. Dyer is no longer connected with the active management of the affairs of the Association.7—Ed. T. . *