WORLD'S CHAMPION BILLIARDIST.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1242, 26 September 1911, Page 4

WORLD'S CHAMPION BILLIARDIST.

. INTERVIEWED AT AUCKLAND. (By Tclecraph.— Boecial ■Correspondent.) Auckland, September 25. Tho world's champion billiard player, Mr. H. W. Stevenson, who has just nr. rived in Auckland, gave an interesting; interview to a reporter. ■ He said that his present tour was in the nature of a holiday, and he was leaving for Vancouver by the steamer Zealandia on FrU day, and. hoped to play matches in the principal towns of Canada. When questioned regarding the game in the various countries which ho had visited, ho said that he had noticed that billiards was becoming increasingly popular iii Australia and New Zealand. In tho large cities of the Commonwealth and tho Dominion there were now billiard moms which contained twenty tables. A few years ago a room with tour or five tables was considered a largo one. $ In his opinion the average player in Australia was better than the average, player in England. This was probably because tho Australians, not having tho same number of counter attractions, play much more. The game was, however, largely played in England, there being rooms in tho cities which contained 10 tables.

Mr. Stevenson, when asked regarding tho visit of George Gray to England, was diffident about expressing an opinion. Ho stated that the leading professional billiard players rarely commented on each, other's play—they left that to the public. He, however, remarked that Grey had been well repaid for the assiduous practice which ho had put in, particularly on ono stroke. His prolific scoring was duo to tho fact that no played with ono class of ball, on one make of table. There would como a time when Gray would hnvo to play with ivory lralls, and he would find a groat difference when the change from one ball to another came.

Mr. Stevenson stated that ho might possibly play Gray when he got back to England. The match would not be for the championship, for composition balls would be used.