BOXING.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 31 October 1912, Page 8

BOXING.

KEEP THE RING CLEAN

MR. M'INTOSH'S MOTIVES

"I had little hesitation about acting an I did," Mr. M'lntosh said, speaking in Sydney on Monday week last of his cancellation of Johnson's contract.- "Such a succession of ugly scandals as have collected round Johnson's name make it against the interests of boxing that he should be. any longer encouraged. "It is a pity that the championship of tho world should be in tho hands of such n man. In tho circumstances, T think that the boxing promoters of all the world would be justified in turning him down, finally, and refusing to arrange matches for him. They would bo more than justified. In tho interests of boxing as a manly sport it is our duty as promoters, to refuse our countenance to a, man who brings the sport into such hope.ess disrepute. "I have had long and wearisome negotiations in order to bring Johnson to Australia to box for the world's championship with Sam Langford, and from first to last this' business has cost me some thousands of pounds. It has now becomo a sickening business, and I am resolved to wash my hands clean of it. Johnson is too disreputable, and boxing had better refuse to touch him for tha future. _ Just at present boxing in Australia is at the highest possible level of sportsmanship. The French boy 3, and tho Australians and Americans too, who havo been meeting this season have all boxed and behaved like sportsmen and, gentlemen, keeping up tho highest traditions of the game. I am not going to degrade* this excellence by going on with the importation of Johnson. Much good money has been spent by mo over this business, but it just has to go—that's all."

MR. FLOWERS'S APPROVAL

JOHNSON NOT FIT TO COME

PRESENT CONDUCT OF BOXING

GOOD

Tho Vice-President of the Executive Council (Mr. Flo were) was asked whether .the S'tato had any power to prevent Johnson landing in New South Wales. Mr. Flowers was not quite sure about tho legal position, but left no doubt as to his opinions on the desirability of blocking the coloured boxer, whose latest achievements carry their own ,cbndemnation. :; "Wo .are-ijetteir without him," eaid Mi*. Flowers, emphatically. "We do not want him. I think this would be a fitting case for the Commonwealth to "apply a test which he could not answer— that is if ths State has no power to exclude him. I say that he should be excluded. Australia is better without tho humiliating spectacle of a black man brutally fighting a whit© man. So far as 1 have control there will be no more of it. It is fair for me to say that I do not believe that the boxing authorities want Johnson here, either. There is very little objection to be taken to boxing as it.is now conducted. "The regulations framed here and some police precautions have achieved that. Boxing to-day is free from the brutalities which characterised it some years aero. But we do not want another Johnson session." | Tho Attorney-General. Mr. rTolman, is inquiring into the legal position.