BILLIARDS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1118, 4 May 1911, Page 7

BILLIARDS.

CJHAY TO PLAY INJLAX. By Telegraph-Press Associalion-Copyricht London, May -. George Gray, the Australian billiard player, and Melbourne liinian will play ii match of 1(1,000 up, on level terms, with crystallate balls, on -Tune 5. The match will be for 4:200 aside. The following is the text pi Melbourne Inmnir's latest challenge to Gray, as published in the ".Sporting Chronicle' :— Sir,--Now that Mr. George Gray lias all but concluded his contract with the firm with which, since his arrival in Lngland, he has been engaged, and he will »oon have a frre hand, I think Unit the moment is opportune to remind his supporters of the original terms of the challenge that he issued shortly after he commenced playing in this country. He then oilered io play anybody a level match for ,£250 aside. " As "you "may recollect , , I accepted that chnlleiige, but for reasons nest known to the firm under whom Gray was engaged, my acceptance- of the same, although b'ona-fide in every way—it was accepted on the authority of Mr. Robert Topping—was not considered. When I say that it was not considered, I mean that it was declined. I wish now to again remind Mr. George Gray that I am still ready to take up that challenge—to play him a level match for •E250 aside, with either ivory or composition balls. I do not think that anybody would accuse mo of throwing out idle challenges or acceptances. I am finite prepared to enter into the match immediately, and would remind Jlr. Gray that I contemplate a visit to Africa, and have made arrangements to leave in May. So if any match is made it must necessarily be played before the end of that month. 1 think it is only fair to inform him 'of that. 1 have no desire to belittle Mr. Gray. It would be ridiculsus to attempt to do so. His performances speak for themselves. Since he started playing in England they have been truly remarkable, and an eye-opener to all of us. Unquestionably he has improved marvellously siiice I had the pleasure of playing against him in Australia—a country that I hope to again visit at the close of the 1011-12 season.—l am, etc., MELBOUKNE IXMAN. Playing at the Imperial Hotel, New Plymouth on Tuesday night, the New Zealand champion cueist, Jlr. J. W. Read, conceded Mr. B. Allan 200 in GOO, and ran out when Allan's score was 390. Time, 1 hour and ;! minutes. The champion's best breaks were: 130, 01, 87, 73, 71, and 58. Allan's best were: 51 and id.