BOXING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15764, 15 May 1913, Page 10

BOXING

(By Straight Left.)

At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Boxing Council, held in Christchurch, Mr C. T. Aschman, in seconding the adoption of the report and balance sheet, said "that while, on the whole, the report was a subject for congratulations, still there wcro features in connection with the control of the sport that needed the earnest consideration of those interested in its welfare. One of the outstanding weaknesses was the undue prominence given to the professional side. The original aim of the council had been widely departed from, for now, in some quarters, the amateur was not catered for to tho extent intended, and the- constant call on the professional boxer's services had given too many of the 'pros' an exaggerated idea of their own value. Their exorbitant demands would in the end work their own ruin, but in the meantime the size of tho purse and the amount claimed for expenses made tho professionals certain winners and tho promotinu associations certain losers." The truth of Mr Aschman's remarks are illustrated in the fact that moro than one boxing association in the North Island has reason to regret the prominence it has given to professional boxing in the past by reason of the havoc it has played with their finances. Only last season the Wellington Association suffered severely on this account, and another instance of the trouble that professionalism brings npon associations lies in the fact that the Waipukurau Association, which promised to become a strong liody, has had to close down, this being very largely due to the inroads made upon its finances through the promotion of professional bouts. There cannot be any doubt whatever that during the past five or six years the professionals have been 'spoonfed.' to use a colloquialism, by various associations, to' the detriment of amateurs, unci now the stone has rebounded, and has struck those who have been responsible for the development of this branch of the sport in such a way as to make them realise the necessity for putting an end in future to lavish expenditure on those who are generallv known in the boxing world as ' carpet-bag' professional boxers, the term signifving that they are for the most part second or even third raters. If the money spent on this class of pugulist were devoted towards the instruction and development of amateurs there can be little doubt, that the public would support boxing as liberally as it does other branches of sport. Iu continuing his address at tho annual

meeting of tho New Zealand Council, Mr Aschman referred to the constitution of the council. He said: "They occupied tho anomalous position of a governing body that had neither legislative nor executive functions. _ The making of the laws had been practically handed over to the annual conference of associations, and the enforcement of any ruling depended on the associations agreeing to it. The position was not far removed from the farcical, and while existing conditions continued, not only could there be no improvement, but the council must also face tho possibilities of even worse conditions arising," Mr Aschman does not evon hint at any probable solution of the complex problem by which the council is faced, and if his remarks on this question can be construed to mean anything, it is that it is farcical fortho delegates to the conference of associations to have the right to draw up rules for the government of the sport. Hardly anyone will differ from Mr Aschman in what he says regarding the constitution of the council; on the contrary, it is well known that for a long time certain of the associations affiliated with the council have felt tho growing necessity for its reconstitution in the way of giving each association direct representation on the council; and it is not improbable that in the near future an effort to consummate this view will be put forward. This would remove the anomaly on the governing body and give' it a control and authority that it apparently has only in name at the present time. As matters now stand, however, it is a good thing that the various associations in the Dominion send delegates to meet and confer annually on the best means of controlling the sport, and no one will deny that the conferences in the past have done a great deal towards popularising and improving the game, and it is to be hoped that until the constitution of the council is amended in the manner suggested in the foregoing that the conferences will be continued.

Jack King, the clever Sydney bantamweight has again won the amateur chain-' pionship of New South Wales. He was a member of the Australasian boxing team which visited Auckland some years ago. "Professor" Jack Stagpoole, the veteran boting instructor, who has been spending a holiday in this city, returned north by tho second express on Tuesday. He intends being back in Dunedin in time for the Australasian Championships, which will take place some time in September.

At_ the Northern Boxing Association's meeting on Monday, May 5, a proposal to provide more competitions for amateurs fame up for dismission, and it was unanimously doolded that in addition to the provincial championships a novice carnival be hold. The carnival will come off about two months after the championships arc decided, and only men who have failed to win a championship event during the year will bo allowed to compete. Later on the winners at the novice tourney will be matched with the provincial champions.