BILLIARDS.

NZ Truth, Issue 578, 15 July 1916, Page 11

BILLIARDS.

(By "Fluke.")

The New South Wales State amateur championship' is v set dowir' l for comraencement:ori'Monday evening next m t^e Tourne.y<#all of Messrs. Heironand Smith, Limited', Sydney, at 8 o'clock.

It is expected that Williams wilt make a big effort to gel even with Lindrum m their next match, to be played m Sydney, starting on Monday evening. July 24. The game is to be 18,000 up under B.C. rules, and the red ball is to be restricted.

Tho twentieth annual markers' tournament of Messrs. Hciron and Smith, Ltd., Sydney, will be a thing: of the past \Vhen this goes to press, for Greek will have met Greek m the final tug-of- war. Who those two, will bo it is hard even at this close stage to say with any accuracy. However, as "Fluke" is writing, there is a fine bunch left m m Abotomey, Charlson, Bessell Weiss,' junr., McDonald, Standwick, Parton and Wilier.

It is perhaps a sign of the times that professionals find It necessary to impart new features into exhibition games of billiards. At one side of the globe George Gray successfully experimented with a mixed contest of part billiards and part snooker. On the other side we havo Llndrum and Williams and Lindrum and McConachy meeting 1 under rules which specially limit the red ball losers. But the restriction this time supposedly operates against, ! not Lindrum, but his opponent. Lindrum has proved that he is so versatile that ho can become, at will, either a i rod-ball specialist or on exponent of all-round billiards. McConachy, so far, has no claim to distinction apart from hazards, which proved Itself m his defeat by Lindrum on their last match ot 18,000 urf McConachio with a start or 3000. sequences of losers being limited to 25. In the Williams match, Lindrum won easily, and played Williams nt his own game, making no effort to employ the red m any exclusive manner, and the skill displayed by his opponent ! brought from Williams the regret that j he was unable to keep Lindrum warm. McConachy. m contradistinction to i Lindrum, essayed to demonstrate that ! a hazard specialist can i%mctuato his breaks with cannons at fixed intervals, and the outcome of it all is that it helps to lend unusual Interest to what may be described as "freak billiards." Hia power to perform the task will have an important bearing on tho movement In England, where billiard rules are made to plaoe losing- hazards m the same category as nursery cannons. Although Lindrum made an oisy win m his second match with McConachy, that does not lessen the value of McConachy'a effort as a pioneer. • • • The last game m tho second round of the billiard tournament being held at the Empire Rooms, Manners-street, proved a very exciting one. W. Hill, scratch, conceded T. Lees 20. Hill played really clever billiards and caught hia opponent. However, Lots was not to be denied and got the balls rolling nicely m his favor, and by dexterous play, came out the winner by hl« points. Tho third round is noV m progress and should be completed this week. • • • The Crystalate Cup contest la now m full swing m Auckland. Two games have already been played, the first boing won by Goodhew, who boat W B Hackott, In the second round Warren (Now Zealand amateur champion) woa beaten rather smartly by w N Leatham. The winner made breaks of 58, 50, 2», 25, and 20 unfinished, securing an average of S por visit. Warren'a beat efforts wore C 5, 33 and 21 averaging Just under <3. Lenthoni Played confidently and won mainly through his accurate winning hazard, holing tho red ball from almost anywhere on tho table. Warren did not piay as freely an usual and wus n little off )n hi* beat nhot, the red lostrr Tho ' gamea aro being played In Messrs. Al- j cock and Co.'s showrooms, on O no of their Tudor match tubles. • • • A. P. Whatman, tho well-known Mas. torton sport, and who, as a private individual, haa probably done more for our soldiers than anyone «l«e, haa donated un Alcock TuUor billiard table complete with the very besF of everything to tho Heturnud Soldiers* Club Already, m one way or another, this

K»>nUeman (who deserves the first "a." deleted and "io M inserted correctly m his name) has given a fortune to cfertain funds, and has devoted much of. his ! time And eloquence to making other peoplo of means realise their responsibilities. Twenty years ago, A.P.W. would -have made a clinking soldier. Aa an officer he would have been brilliant, because, he possesses undoubted intelligence, a wonderful physique, and the most valued of all attributes — the ability to command respect, lead and make others follow. • '■■.'•• • Ten more Alcock tables are going into Mr. Stuart Huston's b.*,' room at [ the Featherston camp. At the present time there 18 such a demand for play at this, establishment that those desiring a game have lengthy waits. When tho addition is completed, Mr. Huston hopes to bo able to accommodate all those who desire to play, but the probability Is that even then, his tables will bo taxed to tho utmost. " • ■ • . • The Wulrarapa Anzac Cluli m Featheratton, whoso new premlsen are nearIng completion, hope to be able to open about the end of August. Thin is to be one of tho best-tUted clubs m New Zealand, and la the gift of the people of Fcatherston and the surrounding districts. Of the many amusements afforded, billiards will take a prominent purt, as four of Aleock's commercial tables have been purchased.