First Telegraphic Chess Game Marked

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31017, 24 March 1966, Page 14

First Telegraphic Chess Game Marked

Ceremonies to mark the centenary of the first telegraphic chess match between Christchurch and Nelson were held simultaneously in Christchurch and Nelson yesterday. Four matches were played between the two centres and Nelson scored 2J points to Canterbury’s Ij. One hundred years ago, after the Post Office had established the first telegraphic link between Christchurch and Nelson, teams played two matches , during several months.

Speaking at the ceremony in the D.1.C., Christchurch, the Deputy Director General of the Post Office (Mr G. Searle) said that he hoped the links between the Post Office and the chess clubs would continue. He also spoke of the advances in communications in New Zealand over the years. The member of Parliament for St. Albans (Mr H. J. Walker), who represented the Prime Minister, said telecommunications had been a vital element in the progress of New Zealand, and had a significant influence on the everyday life of the community. Long-distance chess matches by telegraph were almost as old as the communications system itself and in later years New Zealand clubs had even played international matches with the use of teleprinters. Home Of Telegraph Christchurch had been the home of the telegraph in New Zealand, and the first telegraph office in Christchurch had been in the Provincial Buildings, in a bell tower. Christchurch had the first telegraph system in New Zealand, from the city to Lyttelton, and the first telephone exchange in New Zealand. This was tn 1881, only five years after the invention of the telephone The Mayor (Mr G. Manning) sent greetings to the Mayor of Nelson (Mr D. N. Strawbridge) over a Morse system, and received greetings from Mr Strawbridge in return.

After the speeches. Miss Adele King, Mr R. LovellSmith, Mr A. Wilkinson, and Mr A. Hollander took up their positions at four chess boards and started the matches against Nelson. The moves of the game were relayed by an operator of the depart-

ment, Mr E. Buckley, who sat near the players.

One of the Christchurch players, Mr Lovell-Smith, also played for Christchurch against Nelson when the fiftieth anniversary of the first match was celebrated in 1916.

Equipment Displayed

An exhibition of different types of telegraphic equipment was on display in the area where the ceremonies took place. It included the Wheatstone and Cook needle telegraph ordered by John Fitz Gerald in London in 1859 for the Christchurch-Lyttelton line. This equipment was outdated by the time it arrived in New Zealand. The early Morse key and sounder which replaced it was also on display. The Nelson ceremony was held at the premises of Wright Stephenson and Company, Ltd, Nelson.