CHESS

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 151, 23 December 1918, Page 2

CHESS

NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION

The adjourned council meeting of the 'New Zealand Chess Association was held on .Saturday evening, when the following delegates* were present :—H L. James (Gisborne), K. Mackay (Masterton), S Faulkner (Wellington Working Men's CUibi, Kelling (Auckland Working Men's Clob and Timaru), E. S Taylor (Wellington), Brooker (Canterbury),' Dalrymple (Napier), and R. J. Barnes (Otago) An apology {or non-attendance was received from .Mr. Welton (Otago), who is out of town. Mr James was voted to the chair.

The hon secretary (Mr. J 6 \V Dalrymple) reported that the balancesheet presented at the meeting held on the 3rd instant had in the interim been audited and found correct. Pleasure was expressed that the association had been able to contribute £60 during the "no congress" years to the patriotic funds of the four large centres The correspondence related mainly to the resumption of the annual championship congresses which, like many other championships contests, have not been' held during the past three years owing 'to the war. The Masterton Club,wrote declining the privilege of holding a: congress at Easter. The Otago Club wrote suggesting that'the Christmas and Easter seasons were not suitable for the holding of a championship contest and urging that the first post-war congress be held at Dunedin in .September next. A motion to that effect was moved by Mr Barnes,- and was defeated by thirty votes to five. Subsequently. Mr Erooker moved that the next Congress be held a year hence, i.e., during .the Christmas holidays of 1919 This was agreed to unanimously, as was also a motion by Mr. S. Faulkner, .fixing Wellington as, the centre for the congress. During the discussion it was pointed out that a congress was last held in Dunedin*ttn years ago, not sixteen years ago as stated in the last issue of the Otago Witness. Wellington has not conducted a congress since Ea.ster, 1908, having given up its turn to. Napier in 1911 and to Auckland in 1913. Tn deciding to prefer the Christmas season for the holding of the first postwar congress, delegates felt it their duty to stand by the many strong player's who could not take part at any other time, and who have so often in the past made sacrifices to advance the cause of chess in the Dominion.

The Hon. secretary reported that quotations were being got in connection with: (a) The puchase of clocks; and (b) the making of a case for the association's championship trophy. The' replies received to date from clubs in connection with the proposal* to publish'a New Zealand Chess Chronicle (monthly) are of a very ■ encouraging nature. Further action is to be taken on receipt of a report on the details of the scheme from the committee that was set up, at the previous meeting to deal with the matter.

A hearty vote of thanks to Mr. James for presiding closed the meeting.