GENERAL NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23486, 25 October 1939, Page 15

GENERAL NEWS

ALL BLACK MARRIED TENNIS PLAYER RETURNS CHAMPION RUNNER IN CAMP Mr. W. G. Garrard, well-known Canterbury sportsman, and former Rugby referee and administrator, is spending a holiday in Auckland. He is an uncle of D. R. ■Garrard, the Auckland and Now Zealand representative cricketer. A presentation of a handsome silver-and-glnss fruit stand was made to Mr. J. A. Sparks, the retiring president of tho Franklin Lawn Tennis Association, at the annual meeting of the association last week. Inscribed on the gift were the years Mr. Sparks had served as president, i»34-3l), and a list of tho clubs affiliated to iho association. The duties of announcer at the Auckland Boxing Association's carnival at the Town Hall on Monday night were carried out by Mr. W. Hendry, who mado a capable substitute for Mr. \V. E. Dervan, tho association's usual official. Mr. Dervan was slightly indisposed. Mr. P. Seabrook made his second appearanco in tho capacity of a judgo. The All Black and former Otago and now Wellington representative footballer, J. M. Taylor, was married last week to Miss Nancy Martin McPhail, of St. Kilda, Dunedin. at the St. Clair Presbyterian Church, Dunedin. Another All Black footballer, Mr. C. K. Saxton, was best man. The future home of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor will be in Wellington. The selectors for the three Auckland cycling representatives for the New Zealand massed start championship event of (i'2 miles, to be held on November 31, were unable to make their choice from form shown in the two 100-mile races this season, so chose the most consistent trio of the past road season, J. W. Partridge, N. F. Harvey and E. .L. G. Hughes. Partridge's brilliance in the Northern Club's events and his defeat of Dutton secured him a place, while Harvey and Hughes, besides their club successes, both displayed great staying powers in the 04-miles massed start raco last September. "Beyond question the abolition of the artificially-prepared 'shirt-front' wickets in English county cricket has been a big success," said Mr. D. E. Wanklyn. of Christchurch. chairman of tho New Zealand Cricket Council, who has returned to New Zealand from a trip abroad. Mr. Wanklyn explained that, following a resolution by tho English Counties' Association against the excessive artificial preparation of wickets, groundsmen wero instructed to prepare natural wickets. If, as a result, wickets were inclined to wear, individual county committees agreed to accept responsibility. The effect on the play generally was to make it more lively. • l Rugby referees in Canterbury, who have been alone in ruling that the opposing forwards in a scrummage may begin to push as soon as the half-back is ready to put the ball in. thn scrum, have been vindicated in their ruling by the English Rugby Football Union. Tho New Zealand Union, after first ovor-riding the Canterbury interpretation of the word "available" in the scrummage laws, decided to seek a direction from the headquarters of the game. A reply has now been received that the practice in England is that tho ball is "available" when the scrum half shapes up to put the ball in the scrum. Two presentations were made to R. Skeet, former Waikato cricket captain and representative wicketkccper, who has been transferred to Taumarunui. On behalf of the Hamilton East Club, Mr. S. T. Cooper presented Skeet with a travelling rug; while Mr. A. E. Sandford, president of the "Waikato Association, presented Skeet with a wristlet watch. Skeet has played 24 matches for Waikato, OS .innings, .gained seven not outs, and made fiST runs. In addition, he has rendorcd valuable service to Hie team as wicketkccper. Ho has captained the representative team in the last nine .matches Skeet will still bo available for Waikato. A. D. .Brown,. former New Zealand, lawn tennis champion," has returned to tho Dominion, following an extensive tour in England, during which he ' played in several tournaments, and also took part in Davis Cup matches against England last May. The other members of tho New Zealand Davis Cup team were C. E. Malfroy, D." C. Comb and N. V. Edwards. Malfroy and Brown played in the singles and Malfroy and Cooinbe in the doubles, and . England won by three matches to two. Brown said he considered his play had improved as a result of tho experience he had gained against good English exponents. He will return to his home in Christchurch. Graham Quinn, former New Zealand 100 and --0 yards tr%ck champion and Empire Games representative, who turned his attention seriously to quarter-miling last season, still hopes to capture the national 410 yards title before he retires from running. Quinn was disappointed at Napier in March, when he was disqualified in his heat of the 410 vards for allegedly stepping out of Ins lane. Although not a true 410 yards man (he is inclined to overstrida). Quinn nevertheless is a fine athlete, and if he runs at least as well as he did when he took the Wellington title last season he will be right up with the best of them this summer. Quinn says he is introducing a younger brother to athletics, and he thinks he will be better than himself. If Ihere should be anything in the prediction, then the younger Quinn will be a fine acquisition to athletics in Wellington. The North Island 100 miles road cycling championship over tho Palmerston North to Wellington course will be held on Saturday week. The event will have a full representation of Auckland riders, ten of whom intend to compete.' The presence of J. W. Partridge. Auckland provincial road champion, will create considerable interest, for Partridge defeated R. Dutton, Wellington champion, Inst month, and, as Dutton appears to be a strong contender for tho title, the prospects of the title returning to Auckland are good. R. Wilson is another fine stayer, as he proved in tho Mataniata raco of 100 miles, when he left the rest of the scratch group. I Vost, S. Thompson, T. Tanfield, V. Ivey will be accompanying Partridge and Wilson, whilo another party aro leaving by car the day before the event. A prominent Canterbury athlete some years ago, T. G. Broadway, has joined the territorial forces and is now at Ngaruuwalna military camp. In bis day, Broadway was the greatest middle-distance runner in tho country. He won the national hnlf-mije title in 1032-33-31, and the 410 yds championship in 1034. He was also at »one time holder of the Now Zealand 1000 yards record. Until the advent of V. P. Boot, Broadway was the best half-miler the Dominion had produced. He competed at the 11)34 Empire Games in London, and found, like other representatives, that travel and acclimatisation were msuperablo barriers to the production of top form. Broadway was a New Zealand reprcsentatno, too at the Melbourne Centenary Games tho following year, and although he ran reasonably well, he did not quite fulfil anticipations. He' made his last appearance on the track at tho national meeting at Dunedin in 1930, when he failed by the narrowest of margins to take the 440 yds title.