ATHLETIC.

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 February 1913, Page 2

ATHLETIC.

[per press association—copyright.]

CRiCKTjT.

THUMPER BENEFIT MATCH. SYDNEY, February 7. The Truraper benefit match between New South Wales and the Rest of Australia opened in pleasant weathei and on a good wicket, and over 8000 were present. . The Rest of Australia have lost nine wickets for 356—Mayne 40, Hill 65, Hansford 33, Moves 76, Cody 42, Ryder 38.

GOLF.

ITS INTRODUCTION TO ENGLAND. Gult has become a municipal institution in Scotland’s Perth, where the local authorities have acquired a link for the use of the citizens. Curiously enough, it was in this city that the first law was enacted forbidding the playing of “golfe, bitcball or other sik unprofitable sportes.” That was in 1424, and tiie author of the antigolf law was James L, who had been assured that the citizens of Perth were wasting their time and their substance in of little balls about the countryside. James himself used to play the game on the North Inch with “mnche satisfaction,” and probably his subjects chose to follow his example rather than his advice. When James went south in later years, lie took his golf clubs with him, and introduced the sport to the English people. He even condescended to make, a little money out of the -entertainment j which he had provided for the southerners, j it being on record that he sold letters! patent to one William Berwick at Salis- | bury for the making of golf balls ■ for a | period of twenty-one years. Apparently | the craving of the Perth people for golf j has not grown less since the days when James issued his prohibition.