Young Fiji Puts On Its Boxing Gloves...

ALTHOUGH Dr. Edith Summerskill, British MP, has gone on record (in a book and in the House of Commons) to say that boxing is a brutal sport, no one in Fiji seems prepared to take much notice of the lady’s dire predictions.

Amateur boxing and boxing clubs flourish and every would-be champ from five years to 25 is catered for. Much of this enthusiasm for

the Noble Art has been generated by Mr. Harry Charman, a cor poral in the RNZAF at Lauthala Bay and local secretary of the

Ymca.

He began his All Races Amateur Boxing Club in Suva in 1953 and j us t recently, in premises behind the old Club Hotel, loaned by Morris Hedstrom Ltd, 90 young men between 15 and 25 enrolled with the hope of becoming the

current champion in their classsj About the same time, 32 junj members of the same club (thi ages range from five and up) h on a series of matches for j entertainment of their parents & friends.

As the name of club suggee membership is open to boys all Fiji communities. Each n member must produce a mediJ certificate stating his fitness ; undergo training from one of j honorary Medical Officers.

The doctors do a thorough I in examining the boys and I this way have incidents paved the way for treatment some medical defect that mijj otherwise have escaped notice. Before each bout, contestaf line up again, stripped to th shorts, for a final medical che Everything is according to Hoyles the Club. Even five-year-olds, Pe Griffiths and Miles Hammett, w caused some amusement when tl; appeared in the ring in full equ ment, knew how to do the corn thing according to the book marching to the centre of ring, shaking hands and then go: back to their corners to await time-keeper, Mr. V. Storck, sayiii “Seconds away, first round tirm At the end of each round tl; went solemnly back to their corn to sit on boxes marked “Gordo Gin” (stools would have been . big for them) and listen to advice of their seconds.

So, even if that good socia Dr. Summerskill believes tl everything is better settled negotiation, most of Fiji still lieves in the old tag Mens scum, corpore sano, and that the no art of self-defence helps towa that desirable end.

This Page:

On your left, in the blue silk drawers, guard and 16-oz gloves, Peter Griffiths, so Fiji's Accountant-General; on your [?] similarly equipped, Miles Hammett, son Fiji's Acting Chief Justice. The 3-round [?] between these 5-years-old giants resulted points win for Master Hammett.

On Page 85:

Paul figgess receives the Charman In from Lady Ragg on behalf of his brother who was judged the "most scientific bon There are Four Fighting Figgesses in the —sons of the Rector of Suva, the Rev. H Figgess. Harry Charman shown right.

Don't look now Robin Storck one from Paul Figgess.

A photograph taken earlier this year the Fiji Amateur Boxing Championships were The title holders —representing slightly serious boxing than that indulged in small fry—are shown with Mr. Charman left. Back row shows: S. Bennion, middleweight; Tagicabau, heavyweight; Mo[?] Light-heavyweight; M. Evans, middlew[?] Front row: Rato, flyweight; T. Curtis, ba[?] weight; Tora, featherweight; T. Schuster, [?] welterweight; Laisiasai, lightweight; and welterweight. These young men represented boxing clubs: Charman's Amateur Boxing Public Works Department Club, Fiji Mi[?] Forces Club, and Raivolita Amateur [?] Club.—All photos by Stinsons.