Croquet Notes

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 42, 19 February 1931, Page 16

Croquet Notes

By "C UP"

SOUTH ISLAND MEETING

A TOURNEY ABANDONED

WORK FOR THE EARTHQUAKE

FIXTURES. 17th February.—South Taranaki Tournament, Hawera. 19th February.—South Canterbury Tournament. 23rd February.—Wanganui Club Tournament (open), Wanganui. 3rd March.—Otago Provincial Tournament, Dunedin. 19th March.—English Gold and Silver Medals (Yankee system), Palmerston North. Ever sinco tho disastrous earthquake occurred, croquet. throughout the Wellington district has been practically at a standstill, and croquet players, in common with other women's organisations, have p"ut their shoulders to the wh.eel in a truly remarkable fashion to assist in sharing the burden, and so in some measure soften the blow suffered by their fellow creatures in the stricken areas. The Wellington tournament, which had been commenced under most favourable auspices that very morning, with a most gratifying entry of competitors, of whom a number wero visitors from other districts, was abandoned after two and a half days' play, and in a very few hours many of the club houses were converted into workrooms. Sewing machines were commissioned, voluntary contributions of cash and material wero forthcoming, and with many willing workers it waa not long before new and mended wearing apparel was ready to be dispatched to the Central Committee for distribution among the refugees. Others unable to take part in the sewing operations rallied to the call for funds and food, and many opened their doors to those so suddenly and tragically rendered homeless. Clubs have vied with jme another, and with the parent body—the Wellington Croquet Association —in the matter of raising funds to assist tho distressed, and when the grand total is attained the players of this district will not bo found wanting as far as generosity is concerned. A pretty story is told of one municipal club which has completely adopted for tire time being a mother and her four children. The members are taking turns in sharing their guests and are standing full responsibility for housing, feeding and clothing them all in the meanwhile. Association Competitions. Interelub matches and other association competitions were for the most part resumed on Tuesday last, in perfect weather. Results will be published later. The A and B grade contests have reached tho. penultimate round, while the intermediate grado has yet several rounds to got off before completion. Some. few years ago, when the entries in these competitions were not as largo as desired, a resolution was approved whereby players were permitted to play twice in succession or throe times at intervals in a higher grade than, that to which their bisques entitled them without losing their status. This was vnot a very wise procedure, i£or on the face of it one readily sees that it must have tho- effect of lowering tho standard of play. Secondly, it causes no end of difficult complications as regards the handicapping, and thirdly, it has resulted in the overloading of entries- for the weekly interelub competitions, which has of necessity in its turn resulted in usurping the use of lawns to the exclusion of club games and events which are of such vital importance if the standard is to progress. The match committee of the association will submit a recommendation to the club delegates to rescind this bylaw before next season. South Island Tournament. Following rapidly ou the heels of the Dominion tournament held recently in Christchurch, the^ first South Island tournament opened in most unfavourable weather on the Punga and St. Clair lawns, Duuedin, on 30th January. The entry was disappointingly small as regards outsiders, for with the exception of three West Coast players and several from tho Southland Association all the entrants were from the Otago district, and principally from the local Dunedin clubs. The general opinion seemed to bo that tho dale was too close to the big tourney in .Christchurch, aad the desire was freely expressed that the fixture be held later next year. Play was interrupted on several occasions by, rain, and the conclusion was reached on the 11th February. Great interest waa ccotred in the South Island open championship, an event which will carry with it a charmingly beautiful sterling silver fruit bowl and accessories, donated by Mr. and Mrs. M'Creath, of Gore, and which for all time is to be known as the "M'Creath Fruit Bowl." Mrs. Horn, of the Punga Club, was the fortunate winner. Mrs. Horn, in the final match, defeated , Mrs. Corbet (also of Punga Club, who, by the way, captured the South Island ladies' championship) by two games to one. Taranaki Tournament. This tournament, which commenced simultaneously with the Wellington one, decided to carry through to a finish, many of the competitors agreeing' to give their prize money to the earthquake fund. -The weather was perfect throughout the whole period, and there were a number of visitors present as well as an excellent entry from local and adjacent clubs. The Fitzroy, West End, Pukekura Park, Central, and New Plymouth lawns were lent for the occasion, and headquarters was established at New Plymouth, where, in addition to the pavilion accommodation available, a large marquee had been erected for the convenience of guests at afternoon tea, etc. Mrs. Morris (president of the Taranaki Association) as manager was indefatigable in looking after competitors and visitors, and everything went like clockwork from start to finish. She was ably assisted by her executive and Match Committee, while the refreshments were splendidly organised by a band of incmbers under Mrs. Griffith. The visitors, who included Sir Francis and Lady Colchester Wemyss (England) and Mrs. Rhodes Williams (Wellington) were most hospitably entertained and motored to the various beauty spots of the town, which included some magnificent begonia houses and wonderful recreation grounds. A trip to Mount Egmont arranged by Captain and Mrs. Hartneil during the weekend proved a delightful outing, the weather conditions being perfect. At the conclusion of the tournament the president expressed great pleasure in having among their visitors Sir Francis and Lady Wcmyss and Mrs. Bhodes Williams, vice-president of the New Zealand Council. This was the first occasion, said Mrs. Morris, on which an officer of tho parent body had been present at their local tournament, and her executive wished to show theiv appreciation by calling on Mrs. Rhodes Williams to present the trophies won. Following was the list:— Tarauaki Open Championship, Singles, —Sir Francis Colchester

Wemyss, K.B.E. (England); runuor-up, Mr. Gibbs (Patea). Ladies' Championship.—Mrs. Clark (Pukekura Park); runner-up, Mrs. Leslie Bull (Hawera). Handicap Singles (A. Grade). —Sir Francis Wemyss (-1); runner-up,' Miss Irvine (44), (Kawaroa Pavk). Handicap Singles (B Grade).—-Mrs. Broeklebank (7), (Stratford); runnerup, Miss Putt (7), (Central). Champion Doubles.—Captain Hartnell (West End) and Mrs. Wellings (Hataitai (Wellington); runners-up, Mrs. Tingey (West End) and Miss Pavitt (New Plymouth). Handicap Doubles (A Grade).—Captain Hartnell (West End) and Mrs. King (Fitzroy, 8); runners-up, Mesdames Clark and Edgecoinb (Pukekura Park, 9J). Handicap Doubles (B Grade).-rMes-dames Butch art and Brocklebank (Stratford, 14*); runners-up, Mesdames Goss and Broad (Pukekura Park, 16). Mrs. Home presented Dr. Home's rose bowl for the teams match to the captain of the New Plymouth Club, who will hoia it for tho season. Each of tho four members who had played in tho team received an individual trophy also. The runner-up in this competition was tho West End Club. Captain Hartnell and Mr. Gibbs spoke iin eulogistic terms of tho management of Mrs. Morris and all those assisting, especially Mrs. Griffith, the "Tea Lady." These two ladies were presented with handsome Ti.ieces of amphora and crystal respectively on behalf of the play-, ers. Play at Hawera. The South Taranaki tournament is now in progress at Hawera. A large party of New Plymouth players as well as several from Palmerston and Wanganui1 are competing, and soino good croquet is anticipated. Trophies. > The New Zealand Croquet Council is indeed fortunate as regards its list of valuable challenge trophies, and notwithstanding, the fact that the new season commenced barely a month ago already has two more to add to. its list of possessions. Mr. Arthur Ross, who has won outright, the valuable cup, donated by Dr. Edgar Whitaker, has shown great sportsmanship in handing it over to the council for a perpetual challenge trophy, * where he hopes it may prove an incentive to aspiring players to "keep on > keeping on." After moving a vote of thanks to the donor at tho annual meeting in Christchurch last .month, the delegate for Wairarapa proposed that tljo trophy be known as the "Whitaker Cup," which would serve to remind players of the gratitude they owed Dr. Whitaker, who whilst residing in Palmerston North in 1919, had succeeded in establishing the New Zealand Council, an organisation which has grown by leaps and bounds since that date. She further suggested that a second class "level singles" for players of 3^ bisques and over be included in the programmes for future Dominion tournaments, and that the "AVhitakcr Cup" be allocated to tho winner of this event for the season. This met with general approval, and as there wero no other suggestions forthcoming, the motion was carried. While visiting Dunedin for the opening of the first South Island tournament, Mrs. M'Creath, of Gore, Southland, on behalf of her husband, formally presented a beautiful sterling silver fruit bowl, supported on silver croquet mallets, which had been made to Mr. M'Creath's own design, as a challenge trophy, to be held by the winner e£ the South Island open championship singles. In receiving the gift, and returning thanks on behalf of the council, Mrs. Rhodes-Williams expressed the thought that the trophies which did most towards encouraging competitive play were those on whose plinths Were inscribed the honoured names of previous winners. Sho urged all the entrants present to strive hard for the privilege of having their names recorded on tha M'Cteath Fruit Bowl, where long after their particular croquet days were over, their prowess would still remain recorded. Tho Taranaki Association hitherto possessed one challenge cup only, that given by the New Zealand Council ■in 1027 for the open singles, but this year the winner of the ladies' singles also will hold a challenge cup donated by the association president, Mrs. Morris, of New Plymouth. It was very much regretted that-Mrs. Bull, of Hawera, who won tho first life of this event, found herself unable to play oil in tho final "best of three" match against Mrs. Clark, of Pukekura Park, who thns won the event by default. Both' Mrs. plark and Mrs. Bull had been playing well throughout the tourney, and the matcii would undoubtedly have proved interesting, as both ladies tfre excellent shots. Answers to Correspondents. There is no penalty for taking croquet off the wrong ball which, strictly speaking, is merely a matter of inadvertence, and is treated in exactly the same way as playing with the wrong ball. The turn does not stop, but the balls are either interchanged or replaced at the option of the adversary. Mixed Balls. —The writer is repeatedly being asked if a referee or umpire should give his decision regarding wired balls before the last stroko of the turn has been played. The writer, who has been refereeing during the last twelve years, holds that, the decision must be withheld until the conclusion of the turn. The reason is obvious. Were a player playing yellow notified by a referee or umpire in response to a call that blue and black were wired from each other and also from red, I take it that the player would immediately see to it that he or she played yellow's last stroko so as to be open to blue and black, thereby taking the cue from the referee's ruling in a manner which could only be regarded as indirect advice. In instructions and suggestions for the guidance of referees, paragraph 1 distinctly says: "A referee or umpire is not entitled to give advice in any way to a player." Interpreted, the words "in any way" can only mean either "directly" or "indirectly." Personal. Mrs. Clem Watkins (Hastings) writes interestingly of her successes in cooking out in the open as she refuses to leave for safer regions. Mr. and Mrs. Tiffen, Miss Blake, and Master Colin Tiffen, of Colenso Hill, Napier, are staying with Mrs. Fuller (Manawatu Club), Palmerston North. Mr. and Mrs. Stratton (Hastings), who were with Mrs. Flinders M'Crae, Palmerston, for a few days after the earthquake, have now gone to stay with relatives in Hawera. Their two sons aro in Stratford for the time being. Sir Francis and Lady Colchester Wemyss, after spending a few da3rs in Wellington on their return from Taranaki, have left for a few weeks'.fishing at Taupo. Lady Wem3r ss is find- | ing very real pleasure in sketching and painting New Zealand native flowers and scenery. They have booked their return passages by the Rangitata early in March. A pigeon has returned to its home at Market Drayton, England, after an absence of nearly four year*. Woods' Great Peppermint. Cure l«t Coughs, Colds, Influenza. —Advt.