CROQUET NOTES

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 29, 28 October 1932, Page 18

CROQUET NOTES

Challenges for Stars, Ferns and Cups INTER-CLUB ACTIVITY

(By

Rover.)

Coining Events. Canterbury Tournament, Christchurch, December 20. , North Island Championship, J’almerstoii North, January 3. South Island Championships, Invercargill, January 3. . , . , Dominion Championships, Lower Hutt, January 13. Wellington Tournament, Wellington, January 24 South Auckland Championships, Rotorua, February 3. Wairarapa Tournament, Featherston, tearuary 5. . Canterbury Junior Tournament, Christchurch, February 7. Manawatu Tournament, Palmerston North, February 7. South Canterbury Tournament, February 13. South Taranaki Tournament. February la. Southern Hawke’s Bay, Danncvirke, February lu. Cambridge Tournament, February 15. Hamilton Tournament, February 2.1. Hawke’s Bay Championships, Napier, February 28. Handicappers and Referees. An additional paragraph in the Croquet Annual deals with the appointment of handicappers and referees, and states that in all tournaments directly or indirectly under the management of the New Zealand Croquet Council the tournament handicapper and referee shall be the New Zealand official handicapper and referee but in the absence of these officers the duties shall be carried out by the official handicapper and referee of the district in which the tournament takes place. Should both of these officials be absent from a tournament, the tournament committee shall appoint the most suitable person available to do the work. ~ '. - The official referee for this district, Mrs. W. E. Caldow, has appointed Mesdames Bock, Gardner, Lowery and Mount as her assistants. Thus, Hutt district will have Mesdamcs Bock and Mouat at their service, and town players will have Mesdames Gardner and Lowery to adjudicate on any technicality. Waimarie Club.' Owing to unforeseen circumstances the Waimarie club has had to withdraw its second team from the “A” grade interclub competition. This is much to be regretted, ds all the clubs are very keen to play as many matches as possible. As the cancellation has taken place after the draw was made, the clubs will take their matches by default from this team. Concession to Eastbourne. The 'Wellington match committee is allowing the “A” grade Eastbourne team a few minutes’ grace for their arrival at visiting clubs. These matches commence at 10 a.m., and as the steamer from Eastbourne does not arrive in town till ten o’clock it is impossible for the players to be punctual; so, to avoid leaving the bay by a very early boat, they are being allowed the above concession. The “intermediate” grade matches at the bay will commence immediately on the conclusion of the “A” grade matches. In the “B” grade, play on the Eastbourne greens will commence at 12.30 sharp. The bus is due at the bay about 12 o’clock, so players will now not have to wait till 1.30 to commence their games, as they have done in the past. These alterations, it is hoped, will enable players to return to town much earlier than formerly. Helpful Hints. That well-known English player. Dr. J. S. Edkins, has written a series. of articles on croquet, and the following hints will be of interest: — 1. In “taking croquet” a player may push his ball, provided he first hife it with a distinctly audible sound, but this must not involve a number of separate hits, giving a prolonged rattle or groan. In making a roquet, or running a hoop, he may not push the ball. 2. In taking croquet he must not touch the object ball with the mallet. 3. If the ball is very close to. or partly engaged in a hoop lie is about to run, he must be extremely careful to hit it, so that it has left his mallet before it touches a wire of the hoop. If it is already against a wire, he must hit away from that wire. Should the player fail to follow this course of action, in either of the cases, a crush stroke will be made, which is a foul stroke. 4. When in the croquet stroke the player takes off very fine, he must see that he has caused the object ball, at least, to shake. If he cannot say that he actually saw such movement, the ball is deemed not to have been moved, or shaken, and the stroke is foul. 5. If either ball goes off the lawn m a croquet stroke the turn ceases, but, if his own ball before going off. hits a ball, it is entitled to roquet (the object ball not going off) the making of the roquet saving the situation, as the ball then becomes “in hand,” or dead. Bollock Stars. The first challenge for the Gold Stars, presented by Mr. J. Bollock, Seatoun. to ■be played this season, will be batween Hataitai (holders) and Central club, Betone. For the former club Mesdamcs Thomas and Moeller will play, and the visiting club will be represented by Mesidamcs Warner and Bawson. Blay will cpinmcnee at 1.30 on the Hataitai lawns'. Association Ferns. ■ Tli>a ferns are held by lx. el burn and their first game is to be pmyea against Lyall Bay club. Mesdames Koffe and Burd will represent the holders. Lyall Bay’s team has not yet been selected. McKenzie Cups. . The Khandallah club holds the McKenzie Cups, and Mesdames Mawson and Murray will play the representatives from Ngaroma club, probably next Tuesday. Last season, Mesdames Nalder and Griffiths took the cups to Khandallah club, but at present the services of neither of these players) are available. Golden Bay Green. The official opening of the Golden Baj Croquet Club took place on Saturday afternoon, in the presence of & ia-S number of friends and visiting players. Mrs. F. N. Falconer, president, declared the greens open for play and called on Mrs. J. J. Casey, Rockville, to plav the first ball. During the afternoon competitions were played, the winners being:—Golf, Mrs. Tambrook; French, Mrs. Falconer; skittles, Mrs. Grant: angles, Mrs. Bcnscnuin; clock. Miss Disroune. Afternoon tea tvas dispensed 05 the members. The Takaka club was founded by Mrs. J. J. Casey some jcais ago, and now that she has returned <-0 live in that district, her interest m Lie club's welfare is as keen as ever. -Ws. Casev has been hon. secretary of the Karori club, and also a member of Kelbutn latterly. N.Z. Council Secretary. Mr. A. Ross, hon. secretary pt the -New Zealand Croquet Council ( (Christchurch), will arrive in Wellington about the middle of next month, lie intends staying hei.c for several days', during which iwnod I c will visit the various lawns, and demonstrate ths different shots. Better Late Than Never. One member ol a local club has a reputation for being late that: anothei member has offered a trophy to that club to celebrate the first occasion on which the always-late member turns up m time.