BILLIARDS.

NZ Truth, Issue 253, 30 April 1910, Page 3

BILLIARDS.

(By "Jigger.")

An interesting match will be started m Sydney on May 2 next between the old •Australian .champion .Fred Weiss and Frank. Smith, senr. The latter's big break' of 408 m September of last* yearwill not be : forgotten. It was made entirely 'off the red bait— losing hazard— a good performance.. ' George, Gray has not yet left Australia., ( He..is still m Melbourne pending completion of arrangements' for his- Home tour by Messrs Alcpck and Co. If consistent effort and study go towards making a worid's champion, this lad,, with his natural ability, added tp the two former attributes, 1 bids fair to attain that muchcoveted position. He has our best wishes. Details of the final game for the English amateur championship, between H. A. O. Lonsslale and Major Fleming, are to : hand. As stated m our last issue, me Lonsdale won the championship m 1888 (22 years ago). The present game was noticeable 'for very fine' all-round play by both the challenger (subsequent winner) and the holder. It appears that Mr Lonsdale, being . a great early starter, rushed off , with a good lead, and by consistent scoring led the Major at 230-19. From this on he led : until the score reached 562 all. Thence his quiet and confident play kept him well ahead of his opponent until the finish, 2000— 18a2. : The r loser put .up a great fight. In all, there have been 26 matches for the title of amateur champion, Mr Lonsdale, as before stated, winning m 1888, and being defeated m December (same year) by Mr Gasked. Major . Fleming won last yeari by defeating Mr H. C. Virr. This year's tournament was particularly remarkable . by reason of the extraordinary amount of; interest taken in.it by the general billiard public — quite unprecedented, m fact. John Roberts appears, as we thought, \ to stick to .the ivory ball for matcn .purposes. He announced his willingness to play Gray and Lindrum at intervals of one weak each, both m Sydney and Melbourne, but stipulated that ivories must be used. It seems quite possible that this stipulation may stop the whole show. Roberts, as previously stated, is under engagement to Alcoclc and Co. Lindruni is m great form at present/ In two matches m Melbourne lately, con- , ceding 200 m 500 ;to a well-known amateur, he, m the first' game, made one break of 402. In the second game he, scored one run of 266 (261 red ball). Roberts can't afford to give many chances away to this form, if anyway consis'•tent.

Before leaving for England,, under the aegis of Alcock and Co., George G-ray Vfili be presented with the gold medal' awarded, by the British Billiard Association to him m recognition of the two world's records of August last year, established on one of Alcock's famous,standard tables. This is the first medal; ever giyen by that Association for abiK .ltard record since the inauguration .-of tfee;. .Association. • .

Roberts appears to be getting even with. his opponent, Ooieman (who recently tie- " Seated him m W.A.), m a return match, giving^ him .1500 m 2500. In his first two sessions Roberts scored 1666 to Ms,opponent's ' 423. The old champion tallied . jseven breaks over 100 each, the best 163. His cunning has not, by any means, departed.

The Wellington Billiard Saloon Proprietors and Markers' Association is now a live body, having been finally formedat a meeting held last Monday, when the officers for the year were elected, and the draft constitution and rules, as drawn up by the special committee, were adopted. It now only remains for the 'officials of the Association to carry .out some of the suggested relormations, and the success or otherwise: of the scheme depends almost entirely upon the amount :of enthusiasm and. tact displayed , bythese officials. Mr Redding has been ap-. pointed secretary pro tern., and billiard , requiring engagement should apply to -the secretary to have their 'names placed upon the Association's register. y ' ■

A huge billiard room is shortly to be opened m Wellington containing no less .than about twelve tables. The promo- : ters have secured a long lease of the' premises until recently occupied as an auction . mart by Levin, Shalcrass and Co. m the Hotel Windsor buildings, Wil-iis-strect. The position is probably one of the very best m the ciby, and as it is proposed to furnish the room upon the most lavish and up-to-date scale, it should prove a valuable addition to the Wellington billiard saloons. The contract; for supplying the billiard tables and all-' accessories has been secured by Alcock and Co., who will instal their popular Standard tables. The room will be opened \in about a fortnight.

The hearing of the cases m connection I with the police prosecutions against the I owners of billiard rooms m Auckland as being keepers of common gaming houses, fias again been postponed, and it is alleged that the case for the prosecution' has considerably weakened amd may not be further proceeded with. j

The Auckland Amateur Sports Club, acting under the. auspices of the British Billiard Association, have issued circulars inviting entries for a New Zealand Amateur Champiouship Tournament to be held m Auckland during June, entries closing with the secretary of the Sports Club on Monday, May 23. Whether or not this innovation will be a success is very problematical, much depending , upon whether amateurs resident m other parts than Auckland, will make an effort to compete. From what can at present be gathered there is but little probability of any southern players competing, consequently the tournament will resolve itself into . a purely Auckland Amateur Championship. All the games will be played upon an Alcock Standard table, and only crystaiate balls will be used.