CROQUET

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 79, 27 December 1929, Page 5

CROQUET

(By

“Rover.”)

Coming Events. Canterbury Association Tournament— December 26. Test Matches, Palmerston North —December 27. Dominion Tournament, Palmerston North —January S. North Island Tournament, Lower Hutt— January 23. South Taranaki Tournament, Hawcra, February 4. Rotorua Tournament —February 10. Manawatu Association Tournament —February 11. Wellington Tournament, Lower Hirtt— February IS. English Medal Competition, Christchurch —March 26. , Australian Tour Fund. The contribution from the Wellington Croquet Association clubs towards the fuud for the Australian tour has reached _ the grand'total of £Bl/1-1/10, and places Wellington at the top of the list ot contributors. Discussion of laws. The annual conference of delegates to the Empire Council was held on October 31, When Lieut.-Coloucl Du I’re was present as the New Zealand representative. Considerable discussion took place over laws 33 to 39 (covering play), but the general opinion was that while no changes this year seemed advisable, especially m view of the forthcoming visit of the Australians, it might be well It a book of official decisions was kept up to date, and sent out with the official handicap book, for the enlightenment of referees at tournaments. , I, „ Law 33. “Playing with a wrong ball, was also a subject of interest. The Fleet, Itoehampton. Bath, Be.vbill, West Middlesex. Lewes, and St. Albans' clubs were in favour of no change in the present law, while Bedford. Woking. Tunbridge Wells, and Bude would prefer to see the foul reestablished. One delegate stated that, although she favoured the foul being reestablished. she would rather wait until the matter could be discussed in conference with players from the .Dominions. Lleut.-Colonel Dn Pre said the New Zealand Council, with its 4000 players, had intimated through their secretary aud president that they desired no alteration in the present wroug-ball law., Unfortunately, no reply from Australia had yet been received. The Oxford city delegate objected to ( the option beiug left to the adversary. as at present. . .. Law'3B (b) was a factor for a lengthy discussion also. Colonel Young (Bedford) was strongly of opinion that the law as to-pegging out a rover with a roquet stroke should remain in its. present form. It was difficult to see bow it could be considered a “good shot” to hit the peg, when this was the one thing to avoid. Colonel Young was supported by delegates from Sussex County. Itoehampton. Tunbridge . Wells. Rauclagh. Woking, Lewes, Oxford. University. Fleet, and by the opinion of New Zealand players. Sir Francis Colchester Wemyss (Cheltenham), who was a member of the English team which toured New Zealand, stated that although the council- might, during the winter, discuss and examine the present “lift” law. no change seemed desirable, until a conference could be held with players from the overseas Dominions. \ Next year's test matches could. It desired, be played under variations provided for by Regulation Brigadier-General J. 11. Twiss maintained that the present law might ofteu give too much advantage to the forward player, and suggested the addition of the words, “not being a rover," after the words, “by lifting either ball of his side.” Other.delegates agreed that the “lift” should only operate when all four balls were in play. Colonel Augell having advocated Mr. Windsor Richards’s (now in Palmerston North). alternate proposal, that once in a game croquet might be taken arbitrarily from the partner ball, Mr. M. Reckitt suggested that this would surely remove all stimulus to triple-peeling, while Colonel Du Pre, speaking on behalf of Mr. A. Ross (New Zealand), also objected to the alternative. Mr. Thurnall (Compton) found the rank and file of his players enthusiastically in favour of the “lift” law, speaking especially for the “B” class players in his club. It was ascertained that no club was entirely opposed to the “lift” law, and the chairman suggested that while the desire to retaiu it seemed unanimous, the form it might ultimately assume ought clearly to be left to a later date. In regard to etiquette, Mrs. Butler (Oxford City) mentioned the custom of giving advice' in team matches, especially those matches played with a handicap, and she suggested that the practice he discontinued; as it is at present permissible for the captain ot a club to advise his teams as to the taking of bisques, etc. After a lengthy discussion, there was aconsensus of opinion that no such outside advice' should in any circumstances be permitted. Regulations.

Brigadier-General J. Twiss advocated at the .meeting of the English Council that a shortened game be sanctioned for singles, starting with one clip on hoop 1. and the other on 3 back, the scale of bisques to bo two-thirds of the whole. While discussion followed with some opposition from Itoehampton, the proposal seemed generally to find favour, particularly as an expedient for reducing the length of “best of three” matches.

A suggestion itv Mr. Thurnall that both clips be placed on the first hoop, at the commencement of a game, qnd when, say, blue ball made the first hoop, black's clip went automatically to 4 back, was also favourably received.

Inter-Club Competitions. Results of inter-club competitions are as follow A Grade.—Kelburn (2), 34; Kelburn (1), 33. ' Intermediate Grade. —Kelburn (1), 52, by default from Lyall Bay; Wellington, 52, by default from Woburn; Waimarle, 52;.Eastbourne, 49: Hutt, 45; Kelburn (2). 43; Hataitai (2), 43; Ngaroma, 30; Hataitai (1). a bye. B Grade.—Lyall Bay, 52, by default from St. Augustine; Eastbourne, 52; Island Buy, 52; Upper Hutt, 52; Wellington, 50: Karori, 49; Seatoun, 4S; Waimarie, 4S: Johnsonville, 44: Ngaroma, 42; Kelburn; 28; Mount Victorai, 27; Hataitai, 18. The South Taranaki Association will hold its third annual tournament at Hawera, commencing on Tuesday, February 4. The South Taranaki championship singles, A and B, and the ladies’ singles are available only to associates of that district, but the remainder of the events (open championship singles, open championship doubles, handicap singles and doubles) are open to players from outside clubs. . r ' The entries close on Monday. January 27, with' the hon. secretary, Mrs. L. J. Bull. Answers to Correspondents.

“Three of a Kind.”—By reading Law 4(a) the position is made quite clear to you. “A ball displaced by a ball in hand during a stroke shall not be replaced, and any point made for a ball so displaced shall be scored.” Thus, if in a turn when playing with blue you send black ahead, whilst laying a break, and black happens to run the noop, in order, that point is “Player” (Lower Hutt). —The conditions for the gold medal and test matches are included in the New Zealand annual, and they will be played in conjunction. Thus, the two women winning the most matches will be selected for the ladles team. Ihen the remaining four players winning we most games will make up thebalance of the team. All play is to be on method—i.e., every competitor v .ill plav every other competitor at least once There is. of course, the possibility JEat the full team could consist of four and two men, if the women prove their superiority on the field of play. Tl>< con ditfons could not be altered sub as all the competitors have ■ entered under the conditions issued by the New Zea land Council.