AN ILLEGAL FIGHT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15553, 7 September 1912, Page 4

AN ILLEGAL FIGHT.

"PARTICIPANT FINED.

(Feb United Pbess Association*.)

HAMILTON, September 6.

Kcnuetli .Moor?, who was acquitted yesterday on a charge of tho manslaughter of a Maori at Taupiri while taking partin a prize-fight, appeared before Mr Justice Uuoper this morning on a charge of taking part in a prae-iight. lie pleaded guilty. His Honor made an important reference to boxing ami prize-lighting. Ho said that prize-fights were definitely illegal in New Zealand by statute. They were illegal in England by common law on tho grounds that such "fights were injurious to the public generally and against the public interest, while they also tended to promote a breach of the |>«ice. In a sense they were also disorderly exhibitions. He wished to draw public attention to the fact that a prize-light of tin; natmc of the one which took place at Taupiri was a breach of the law.. He did not want his'rema-rks to be misunderstood so as to indicate tliat boxing or sparring matches with gloves were necessarily illegal. That depended on circumstances. When exhibitions of boxing or wrestling tool; place without the element of price-fighting they were not breaches of the law unless they took place under such circumstances that necessarily a breach of tho peace was provoked. Theaccused was fined £5, and had to enter into a bond o! £50 for good behaviour 1 lor 12 month*.