CHESS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 151, 23 March 1925, Page 6

CHESS

THE WELLINGTON CLUB

ANNUAL MEETING Twenty members attended the annual meeting of tlw Wellington Chess Club, which was held on Saturday evening. Mr. W. Mackay (president) occupied the chair. , „ , Mr. IV. Toomath (lion, secretary) presented tho forty-ninth annual report, the chief points of which are as follow: —The membership now stands at 54 active, 3 honorary, and 1 life (Mr. IV. F. Barraud, the only foundation member on the books). The season was opened with the usual "territorial" match, Wellington North defeating Wellington South by one game (29—28). The club championship tourney was won by E. A. flicks, G. P. Anderson being the runnerup. Other tourneys resulted as follow:— Intermediate: (A. 11. J essup, 1; \V. IV ring, 2 Junior: Mrs. Gyles and Mr. Jb’. Grady have to play off. "Petherick" tourney (handicap): A. J). Jessup, 1; W. Wring, 2. Seventy-eight ladder matches were played, the most notable promotion being that of W. J. I'airburn <from rung 14 to 10). L. A. Hicks, by reason of having won the club championship, takes rung 1, and is to represent the club in the champion tf champions’ contest. Tho year's programme ■was a very heavy one, and the clubs teams did not play all;, their fixtures in the competitions of the Wellington) Chess League, the result being that the club did not gain a position commensurate with its playing strength, only taking second place in both the senior and junior teams’ tournaments. In the season’s telegraphic matches the club defeated tho Auckland, Canterbury, Otago, and Nelson Clubs in turn, thus retaining the club championship of New Zealand for anther term. A very- gratifying feature was the disposal of all Lie club’s incomplete games by friendly arbitration, not a single game haying to be referred to the New Zealand Adjudication Board. The thirty-fourth championship congress of New Zealand was hold at Nelson during tho Christmas holidays, when tho club was represented by Messrs. G. P. Anderson (who won tho fourth prize), and E. A. Hicks (who gained a "Sieger" prize for scoring more than half his games). An outstanding feature of tho season was the visit of Mr. Boris Kostich, tho first European chess-master to tour New Zealand, lie spent a week in. Wellington in July last* when Mr. A. W. Gyles had the honour of scoring win in ono of ths uisnn iruished visitor’s simultaneous displays— I feat that he repeated at Masterton shortly afterwards. The death is recorded with deep regret of Mr. 11. Jessup (a highly-esteemed member, who was one of the club’s strongest players, and a valued worker for the advancement of Ch The’ balance-sheet presented by the honorary treasurer. Mr. Gyles, sen., showed a credit balance ot go on the year’s working, which was regarded as'very satisfactory as exceptional expenditure had to be faced, Ine report and balance-sheet wore adopted unanimously. Messrs, loomath and Gvles sen., receiving from seveial spcaKefs tributes to the care and vigilance with which they had guarded the club s interests and finances. A word of praise was also accorded to the good wcik of the librarian (A. E. Jessup). The election of officers resulted as follows —Patron, Sir Harold Beauchamp; president. Mr. W. Mackay : ■ vice-presi-dents, Messrs. F. K. K eLing, E- b. Taylor. A. T. Craven, and IL G. Lee; committee, Messrs. T. Fouhy, IV. h. Mason, IV. White, J. C. McCrea, and G. Wigham; match committee, Messrs. IV. White, R. J. Barnes and IV. Wring; delegates to New- Zealand ,Chess Association, Messrs. A. IV. Gyles _ and IV ■ Toomath; delegates ,to Wellington League, Messrs. W. White and W. Toomath; hon. treasurer, Mr. A. Gyles; hon. secretary, Mr. W. Toomath; assistant hon. secretary, Mr. F. K. Kelling; hon. librarian, Mr. A. E. Jessup; hon. auditor, Mr. A. IV. Gyles. The present policy of making a player lose his tourney game by default througn absence from Wellington, illness, o' other inevitable cause, was discussed at some length. It was finally decided, on the motion of Mr. 11. G. Lee, to allow a oomnetitor who cannot nlay on a scheduled evening, to furnish the committee within seven days of such date, with a written reason for his default. If the reason so given is not regarded as adequate the provisional win granted ito the player who was present will stand..

Votes of thanks were enthusiastically accorded to the Press of Wellington for the valued reports given by them from time to time, and a similar tribute of appreciation was accorded to last vear’s office-bearers. Tn concluding the meeting the chairman expressed pleasure, at having, on his rh-ht hand. Mr. W. T. Thane, who was the first honorary secretary when the club was formed in the ohl Panama. Hotel, Taranaki Street, on June 16. 1876. The club was formed ns the result of an exciting match, in which the final score was: Town, 24; Civil Service. 23: drawn, 3.

Mr. Thane, who was greeted with loud applause on rising to speak, thanked members for their hearty welcome, and for the goed wishes they had sent to him when he was ill. He‘was thankful to say that, he was now in very much better health. He gave same interesting reminiscences of the club’s earldays' and mentioned that the oih<* pioneer officers were:—President, Mr. Georve Hunter, ALP. : vice-president, Mr. L. W. Benbow; hon. treasurer, Mr. IV Mlntteiu; committee, ..Messrs. Ellaby’ Djdsbury, E. Reeve’ and Charles M hite. Hard-fought matches were played against teams from Parliament. which contained several strong players, amongst others. Messrs Bal lance and Bryce, of Wanganui; H H Lusk and M. L Rees, of Auckland; ana 11, ®'X eni '‘°, nrl .(NMson). It was then the custom to invite members of p ar . „i°i ac 7r pt ' l " llor ar.v membership of the club. Mr. lhane concluded several exceedingly interesting glimpses of tho club s earnest years by heartily thanking members for the warm and kindly reception that they had -i™? him. (Loud applause.) ‘ fflven