OTAGO WRESTLING ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22823, 6 March 1936, Page 4

OTAGO WRESTLING ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the Otago Wrestling Association (Incorporated) was held last night, the president (Mr C. L. Piner) occupying the chair. There were also present Messrs- T. Fogg, S. Brown, A. Clarke, M. P. Coughlan, W. J. L. Coughlan, J. J. Hall, F. M. Anderson, J. Campbell and J. Kilmartin. MOTIONS OF SYMPATHY. Before commencing the business of the meeting the president referred to the death of his Majesty King George V and, as a mark of respect, those present atood in silence. Reference was also made in the course of the annual report to the death of Mr Vernon Smith, who had been for come yeai'S a vice-president o£ the association. A motion of sympathy with the relatives was carried in the usual manner. PRESIDENT'S REPORT.

Presenting the annual report on the working of the association, the president said: , " Speaking generally, the standard or the professional wrestling throughout the Dominion during the past season was of a very high order indeed, as was to be expected when such clever exponents of the mat art as M'Cready, Wade, Andreson, Jaget Singh, Tiger Duala and Lofty Blomfield participated. With such a galaxy of talent, one naturally would have expected the past season to have equalled, if not to have actually surpassed, any previous season in the matter of gross gate receipts, but unfortunately this was not so, and for this there were several reasons. The chief reason for this was that during the time under review another promoting body came into existence. The result was that in the four main centres and many provincial towns also, contests were staged under the new promoting interests, and many of these proved of inferior quality. Added to this was the fact that in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch for many weeks two contests per week -were held, each being controlled by different interests, the result being that neither contest drew the gate which would otherwise have been taken. Another reason was that there was too much difference either in the weight or,skill or both, of what may be called the tops and the seconds of the team. In other words, the team as a whole was not well balanced. A discerning public soon had the men classified, and evidently showed its disapproval of unbalanced contests by refraining from attending in such numbers as would produce satisfactory gates. "So far as this city is concerned, 12 contests were held during the past season under the auspices of this association, and one under the direction of a Christchurch limited liability company. Our average gross sate approximated £2lO, and the average pay-out to each wrestler per contest was £47 12s Gd. Having regard to the many adverse circumstances obtaining throughout the season, we are, I feel you will all agree, justified in considering the above figures satisfactory. They indicate that the efforts of the Match Committee in arranging pood and well-balanced contesta were appreciated by our local patrons, who are, I honestly believe, the most sophisticated and discriminating body of wrestling fans in the Dominion. "Now let us touch briefly upon the amateur side of our activities during the past year. You will be interested to know that the actual amount expended in the purchase of trophies for amateurs curing this period was no less than £92, and in addition to this we had trophies to the value of £lO 10s presented by Messrs G. Thorn, A. Pose, and T. Casserley. In addition to the above, this association disbursed approximately £77 10s in expenses connected with the local, the boutn Island and Dominion championships. Thus, the actual cash spent in the fostering and encouraging of amateurs amounted to approximately £l7O. exclusive of dona"Thc Otago Provincial Championships attain elicited very satisfactory entries, the contests extending over two long evenings, the general standard of the wrestling hcin" the highest ever seen here. Two of our provincial champions secured three of the titles out of the six competed for nt the South Island Championships, H. Wilson annexing the middle-weight and L Coughlan the light-heavy and heavyweight titles, but neither boy succeeded in securing a Dominion tit e at the Dominion Championships. The high standard of excellence attained by local amateurs reflects great credit upon the local instructors—Messrs Anderson, Baldock. and The report and the balance sheet, which was presented by the treasurer, were adopted, several members remark»i« that, under the circumstances, the season had been a satisfactory one from every point of view. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year;—President, Mr W. J. L. Coughlan; vice-presidents, Messrs 1. Fogg and S. Brown; aiichtor, Mr J. H A. M'Keefry; solicitor Mr A. G. Neill; treasurer, Mr J. J. Hall; committeeMessrs F J. Campbell, F. M. Anderson, T H Brown J. Kihnartin, T. M'Cracken, Ti Casserlev, A. Clark, M. P. Coughlan, and C. L. Piner. SERVICES RECOGNISED. In accordance with notice of motion, Mr C L Piner moved that Mr F. M. Anderson be elected a life member of the association in recognition of his outstanding services to the association.—The motion was carried unanimously.