Billiards.

Free Lance, Volume XIX, Issue 992, 9 July 1919, Page 27

Billiards.

Mr E. Stephenson, the professional champion, played a game at Tuakau, in the Waikato. He conceded the local "hot stuff" 300 points in 600 and managed to win by a margin of 76 points. His best breaksi were 76, 65, 53 and 52. In a short game on a table that is mot familiar to him and playing immediately aftter at the township these breaks are not at ail bad and. indicate' that big Willie is still striking well. Stephenson also gave an exhibition of fancy shots and snooker shots. At snooker Stephenson can hold his own with the very best in Australasia and it would be "interesting to see him in play against someone of merit. J. Kereti, who claims to be the Maori champion of New Zealand, played Goodhew, one of the best amateurs in Auckland. Kereti is said to be a finished player, but in this particular game did not show to advantage. Still he managed to get several luiseful /breaks between the twenties and thirties. Goodhew's best effort returned him 55. This game was probably played on a standard table. There has been aome talk floating about that a Maori playing at the Lower Hutt made a stratling snooker break recently. It is said that he potted every red ball and broke down after potting the green when the colours only were up. This means that he must have holed 33 consecutive balls. It would be interesting to know if these facts are correct and what his score actually was. Twelve entries have been received for the professional markers' billiard tournament to be held in Auckland shortly. Nothing- much appears to be happening iii Wellington in the billiards line but most of the rooms are fairly busy. Norman Aitken is about to open his new room in Courtenay Place and Barney Mulholland is to be in command. The room h.as already six tables installed and Messrs Alcock and Co., Ltd., who are furnishing the equipment, have a seventh table under way. The room will be one of the most attractive in New Zealand. Nothing extraordinarily lavish _ 'has been installed but everything is of really good quality. And s«o patrons can be assured of good games under ideal conditions. With Barney in charge matters should run smoothly and correctly. The alliance between bowls and billiards grows faster and closer both north and south, and the order of the day in all the leading bowling clubs of New Zealand is bowls for summer and billiards for winter. The Dunedin and Port Chalmers bowling clubs recently engaged in a billiards match in which the Port pulled off the honours.