LAND AND WATER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3196, 16 June 1915, Page 62

LAND AND WATER.

GOLF. ST. CLAIR CLUB.' The consolation events (bogey handicap) for senior and junior players •were contested on the St. Clair Links on Saturday in wot weather, with the following results (best cards only); Senior. R. Wilson 1 up R. W. Bundle 1 down J. Drake 2 down G. L. Hardio 3 down Junior. O. Aintman 2 down F. Leonard 4 down H. Browning 4 down

BOXING. By Straight Left. The Northern Boxing Association (Auckland) held a tournament last Thursday evening, when, according to a report of the fixture, there was not a dull bout during

the evening, and the largo audience was kept in a simmer of excitement from the beginning of the first contest till the finish of the last. There were three minor bouts and one special, this latter fading between Sid. Mitchell and Barney Ireland for the middle-weight championship of New Zealand.

The first contest was between JJ 1 . Craig (9st 101 b) and D. G. Wylie (9st 4ib). The opening rounds of this bout showed Craig to be a much-improved boxer. He used his right hand much more ferqucntly than he had done in previous years. The bout was fairly even in the opening rounds, but Craig piled up the points, and, as his opponent was used up in the fourth round, there was no demur when Craig Avas declared the winner on points. B. Gloss (list 21b) and G. K. Robertson (lOst 131 b) wore the next pair to meet. The latter boxer had the longer reach, but Gloss (who holds the provincial championship of his class) was much stronger built. The opening saw Robertson go in and force the pace. Ho beat himself, and Gloss was much the stronger at the gqn.g. The second round saw Robertson again forcing the pace. Gloss stopped him, but Robertson rallied, and both Avere very tired at the call for corners. The third round was. if anything, in faA'our of Robertson. _ The Last round waj exciting, and at one time a push would have put either man out. Gloss finished the stronger, and, as his wort, generally was the better, ho got the verdict. It was a most exciting bout, and the announcement that the association had awarded Robertson a trophy for gameness was received Avith loud applause. J. M'Hugh (13st 21b, Auckland) and W Sharpe (13st 41b, Taumaranui) Avere the next pair to try conclusions. Both men were short and heavy in build, but, the bout was a" distinct improvement on the amateur heavy-weight contests seen at the ToAvn Hall for some time. Both men used both hands and boxed well. Both avoi-c in excellent condition. There was very little advantage to either in the first a-nu second rounds, but in the third MTTugh got home a straight left to the jaw and a right to the body which rattled the King Country champion, and from then on the local man piled up the points. Sharpe finished gamely, but M'Hugh, Avho is a much-improved boxer, gained a popular verdict. Much interest was manifested in the meeting of Mitchell and Ireland. Groat things Avere expected of both men, and it Avas generally agreed that the contest Avould bo strenuous. Ireland Avoighed list silb and Mitchell 10st llilb. The latter had, if anything, the longer reach, but Ireland at the outset showed a greater variety of blows and a better defence. His body bloAvs were more effective The footwork of Mitchell was the better. The opening rounds avci'o fairly even, but there were some good rallies in the fourth, Avhich was in _ Mitchell’s favour, until Ireland stopped him with a hard right to the jaw. The fifth round Avas bright, with Mitchell doing most of the lea Sing. Mitchell did a lot of useless hitting at Ireland’s smother, and usually received a hard right at the finish of each rally. In the sixth round Ireland got the measure of his opponent, and Mitchell was groggy when he Avent_ to his corner. The seventh round ssav Mitchell recover somewhat, and in the eighth he fought back at

Ireland. Two right body rips by Ireland and a hard right to the jaw, and a heavy body blow by Mitchell, wore the features of the round. Ireland was distressed when the gong sounded. In the ninth there were several tierce rallies, in which Mitchell had all the best of the fighting. He connected his right with Ireland’s jaw several times, and finally dropped the Hawke’s Bay man, who took the count of nine. Mitchell gave him no respite, and lofts and rights were driven in with precision, and Ireland was dropped to his knees. While the count was proceeding he put up his hand, and Mitchell was awarded the contest. In one of the earlier rounds Ireland, after a rally, stood in the middle of the ring with hi* hands dropped by his side; but Mitchell and the crowd thought it was ring strategy on Ireland’s part, and he was thus enabled to recover somewhat; but it was really the beginning of the end, for from then on Mitchell had the upper hand. Mitchell is a much-improved boxer, and the expressed of him in this column a fortnight ago —that ho would beat Ireland —has been fulfilled. Mitchell is a man who is so physically constructed as to enable him to box with success in more than one class, and he has now won the welter and middle-weight championships of the Dominion. Prior to the contest, under review Mitchell gave it out that it he beat Ireland he would challenge Alex. Pooley for the heavy-weight championship, and we may look forward to this contest taking place in the near future. WELLINGTON TOURNAMENT. WELLINGTON, June 10. At a boxing tournament held in aid of the Wounded Soldiers’ Fund this evening a professional light-weight contest took place;' between Tim Tracy (Wellington) and young Taylor, who comes from Australia. The latter was knocked out in the fourth round. Both men entered the ring at 10 stone, but wore not by any means evenly matched. Tay-. lor showed a sufficient acquaintance with the art, but his deliveries lacked driving power, and ho wasted energy in sparring. Tracy possessed much superior stamina, and in the first round, which was rather tame, he was playing with his opponent a good deal -of the time. Affairs were more business-like in the second round, Taylor warming up and sending one or two to Tracy’s face, which made little impression on _ the Wellington man, who returned them with interest. In the third round Tracy got freely to work, and had Taylor on the floor twice. The local man continued the punishment in the fourth round, and after fighting; Taylor half-way round the ropes, he administered a swinging right on the jaw, and sent him down dazed.