CROQUET.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14223, 11 December 1911, Page 10

CROQUET.

- --■ ■ ♦ ■ CANTERBURY ASSOCIATION TOURNAMENT. The Canterbury , Croquet Association's annual tournament will begin ft day earlier than last year, namely, on Boxing Day, instead of tho day after. As all intertst in lawn tennis in the Christmas week will ba transferred from Hag-ley to Lancaster Pa:k, it is thought that the tennis lawns at the United vviil not ihen be required for that game, and that some of them will consequently be available for croquet, so that the croquet tournament, with three or four extra courts in use, may bo completed in a shorter time. It is hoped, therefore, that players in the" croquet tournament will bo at liberty to see at least tho last day or two's play of the Davis Cup competition. It is expected that there will bo a larger entry for tho croquet tournament than even last year. Mr Iztid will probably not be abe to be present, in which case' the championship of■ Canterbury and tho cup presented by Mr Croxton will necessarily pass into other hands Mrs Pearce, of Wellington, will, however, come and defend title as ludy champion of Canterbury, and the first ,mnneHf the troph y presented by Mrs MurrayAynsley. It is certain, too, that thero will bo a larger entry than even last year of member* of clubs belonging to the AasociatfonT and probably more players will Jcompete from outeido the province. Entries for the tournament muat reach the «*«tory (Mr S. A. Ctark, Rangiora) not -later than Singles, for the championship of Canterlrory, open to players of both cexee, ytbcrccvei resident, and whether members of *he Association or not; (2) ladies' Bingle, for the ladW. championship of Canterbury, Eimi'arly open;^(3)_ handicap Binffles:' ar.d (4) rhib pairs. Tho ffcet event (championship singles) will bo played m ( two divisions, known aa "A' and U', tne a division being limited to those, members of the Association who, at ihe date of entry, are in the second grade of the Association c status list, ail non-associates being put into the "A" division. Separate prizes will bo given for each division. The ladies championship singles will be played m one division only, open to associates and nonasaociates aliko. The handicap- singles, are open to all associates, and to thoso nonaseociatos about whom enfficient information is available to enable the handioapper to compare them- 'with associates, and -cusify them to his satisfaction.. .THe handicap event will be drawn and played off w. grades. ! Tho winners in the respective gratlo division wDI afterwards play 'one ..another, on _ too "American" principle of each playing each for the prizes. In the fourth event (club pairs) the ; partners mnst be members of the same club in the Association, *nd must enter as joint representatives of euch club. A lady and a gentleman, or two ladigs, may enter as partners, but not two gentlemen, .r ,The handicapping will be done by Mr G. AL Butterworth,! the Association handicapper, and Mr S..S. Blackburno. the president of the Association, who a.so hol<ls the office of Association-referee, will act as referee. A Flag Championship match -was played on the Rnngiora lawns on Saturday, December 9th, between the senior teams of Sumner and Rangiora, the latter "team winning by , a substantial margin of .6 points. The following are the results of the vacious games played;— * ■ - ' ' . Doubles—Mies ' Puller «m3'J. O. Joslinj (R.) lost to -Mis Crawford arid '1 , . Chambers (S.), Mrs'Josling and \V. Allison (R.) beat Muia Gosset and J. Lill (Sj), Jlra Will and S. A. Claxk (R-) beat Mjb Hamilton- and E. A. Johnson, (S.),' Miss Buddo and W. E, Barton (R.) beat Mrs lull and E. Rawnaloy(S.). .•■■■■■ ... '■■■"■■■•- - ■■■■,■■ "" Singles— J. O. Joelingr (R.) beat J. Lill (S.>, S. A. Clark (R.) beat T. CKambers (S.), W. Allison.' (R.)~beat "E. "Johnson (S.), Mrs Josling (R.) beat E. Rawneley (S.). W. E. Barion (R.) lost to. Mr* Cra\rford (5.% Miss Buddo, <R.) bent Misa Gosßet (S.), Mes VTill (R.) beat Mrs Hamilton (S.), Mice Puller (R.) lost to Mrs Lill <S.). • ,