SPORT AND PASTIMES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25386, 18 November 1943, Page 6

SPORT AND PASTIMES

Noted Rifle Shot Mr Herbert Simmonds, who retired recently on superannuation from the position of railway station master at Dunedin, was one of the most noted rifle shots New Zealand has produced. He had a distinguished record in the last war. He left New Zealand with the 11th Reinforcements and, after passing through the 2nd Army School for Snipers, went into the field with the Wellington Regiment as sniping officer. He held this position for 15 months, was awarded the Military Cross, attained the rank of captain, and was ap-. pointed adjutant of the 2nd Battalion. On his return to England from France he captained the New Zealand Army Rifle Shooting team at Bisley in 1919. He won the King’s Prize at Treptham in 1924, and was runner-up in 1914, 1926, and 1933. He has also won the New Zealand Grand Aggregate on four occasions and the New Zealand Service Championship twice. He is the only man to have won the King’s Prize, the Grand Aggregate, and the New Zealand Service Championships in one year. He won the North Island Championship twice and the Auckland Provincial Championship twice. Altogether he won 17 club championships, represented New Zealand in Australia, and made the coveted triple possible over 300, 500, and 600 yards at Auckland in 1939. He was president of the Auckland Rifle Association for four years and was a member of the executive of the National Rifle Association for 11 years. He intends to live in Auckland. The Haggitt Cup The semi-final matches for the Haggitt Cup, which were played on ißalmacewen links on Saturday, resulted in comfortable wins for W. G. Wight and G. B. P. Wilson. Wight, who had to concede five strokes to C. R. Hedges, was 2 up after five holes had been played, and, going to Tipperary, he had increased his lead to 4 up. The twelfth was halved in “ birdie ” threes, and then Wight went on to win the next two holes and the match 6 and 4. Wilson, who received four strokes from R. W. Dick, played steady golf, and after the fifth he was 1 up. Dick was unlucky to lose a ball at this hole. Wilson was 2 up at the turn, and Dick, who three-putted too frequently, lost the next three holes. He was laid a dead stymie on the thirteenth green, and the match ended in Wilson’s favour 6 and 5. Swimming “ Find ” The " find ” of the Kiwi Amateur Swimming Club’s carnival at the Municipal Baths last week was Colin Gibson, who won the 66 2-3 Yards Junior Freestyle Handicap impressively in the fast time of 40 3-ssec. Last season he displayed promising form at the Otago Championship meeting, but was lacking a little in stamina. This he appears to have developed, and, being tall, of good physique, and possessed of an excellent style, his swimming is not altogether unmindful of that of W. J. Jarvis, who was so outstanding here a few years ago.

North End Regatta The North End Rowing Club will conduct the North End Regatta for the Butterfield Shield on December 11. Senior, junior, maiden, and youth classes will be catered for, and there will be four fouroared events, four pairs, and four single sculling races. The club held its trial fours on Saturday under ideal conditions. Four crews competed, and the performances were of a high standard. In the first heat G. McDowell won from R. Aitken by half a canvas, and in the second heat M. Butterfield won from W. Smith by naif a length. The final went to Butterfield’s crew by a length, the winning four comprising M. Butterfield, F. Johnston, B. Haggitt, and N. Wilson.

Low Standard Cricket in Dunedin is of a distinctly low standard, a fact which can scarcely cause surprise when it is remembered that, although the majority of the experienced and seasoned players are away on service, the Otago Cricket Association decided that 10 senior teams were not too .many. It is the considered opinion of most cricket critics that there are not sufficient players of senior calibre to form more than four teams at the very outside, and that view becomes strengthened each succeeding Saturday. It appears that it would have been better for the game if the weaker clubs had, for the period of the war, combined forces. Suitable combustions would not only strengthen the Senior Grade, but also the lower grades, which are at the moment struggling to obtain sufficient players to fill teams. Obviously some of the so-called First Grade batsmen are ignorant of the first principles of batting. Bowlers worthy of the name are also few and far between.

McMillan Cup Tournament In the Otago Lawn Tennis Association’s annual McMillan Cup contest R. G. Sincock and Mrs A. J. Borthwick, ofßoslyn, who were the backmarkers, defeated Gilligan and Mrs Gilligan, of Pine Hill, in the final. The winners played ft Hie top of their form, and Mrs Borthwick’s deep drives and lobs and Sincock’s smashing and volleying formed a combination which their opponfnts were unable to counter effectively. The runners-up, Gilligan and Mrs Gilligan, played hard tennis throughout but lack of match experience told against them in the final. The* included a large number of air foi ce players. The Women’s Handicap Doubles competition was won by Misses Sparrow and Kerse (St. Clair), who defeated Misses Connor and Menzies (Training College) in the final. For the second year m succession, Misses Connor and Menzies were defeated by one point (31 —30) in the final. Promising Middle-distance Runner The winner of the 880 Yards Handicap at the Otago Centre’s evening sports meeting at the Caledonian Ground on Monday night P. J. Robertson, of the St. Kilda Club,’ is fulfilling the promise he showed at the Otago Boys’ High School a few years ago. Robertson won the Otago secondary schools’ 440 Yards Championship two years ago, and in the intervening penod has enjoyed considerable success with the St. Kilda Club. Last year he tied with W. E. Mackintosh for the aggregate cup at the St. Kilda Club s sports meeting, and this year was the winner of the competition. In a field which was reminiscent of pre-war days—there were 21 starters—he always occupied a handy position in Monday’s race, and from the 35-vard mark he returned the time of 2min ssec, which was' good going on so rough a track.

B\ V. Wright in Form Playing at Balmacewen links on Saturday, B.- V. Wright (plus 1) and his partner R F. Barr (7), returned a card of 9 up to win the Four-ball Bogey Competition. This good score was remarkable by reason of the splendid individual round played by Wright. He went out in 33, with " birdies ” at the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and ninth, and came home in 36, adding three mot e “ birdies ” to the brood with a 4 at the eleventh, 3 at the seventeenth, and a 4 at the last. Barr added another 4 birdie ” to the score with a 2 at the tenth, making a total of nine holes played better than par by the partnership B. V. Wright’s round Of 69 off the stick is the best that has been played at Balmacewen for some considerable time. Fast Times

Although C. Sell has never been fortunate enough to win a New Zealand swimming title, he has figured prominently in Dominion championship races, and has enjoyed many successes in Otago. He returned the fastest time of the night at the Kiwi Club’s carnival last week, when he won a heat of the 100 Yards A Grade Freestyle Handicap in 59 4-ssec. He was edged out of first place in the final, however, by T. Wilson, who was in receipt of three seconds ,and whose time was 63sec. Wilson is the holder of four country club championships in the intermediate class, and looks like adding some provincial titles to the list.

Baseball Season The baseball season has started, and women’s teams are engaging in matches at Bathgate Park every Saturday afternoon. Four new teams are taking part in the local competition—Ascot, Elco, and two teams of High School girls. The standard of play' among the seniors is expected to be fairly high this season, and the benefit of the experience gained by those who either took part in or witnessed the New Zealand tournament at Dunedin last March should be apparent. The present holder of the Martin Shield is Taieri, which will have to withstand some determined challenges from several of the evenly-matched senior teams. Divisional Athletic Championship* Details of the performances of Otago athletes at the New Zealand Divisional Championship athletic meeting in Cairo some time ago are given by A. L. Fagg, the former champion pole vaulter, in a letter to a friend. The meeting, he says, was very successful, well run, and enjoyable,'but the heat of the Egyptian summer had its effect on some of the competitors. Fagg himself was well below his usual form in the pole vault, in which he could not clear 10 feet, though he had done that height six times, and six inches better on two occasions in training. Fagg filled third place, the winner, R. J. Opie, clearing 10ft 3in. Alan McCartney, the ex-Civil Service athlete, shared the honours in the hop, step, and jump and long jump with C. A. Masters whose speed is a great asset in the jump. McCartney won the long jump with 20ft 6Jin, which was six inches better than Masters's effort, and in the hop, step, and jump his 41ft 3Jin was 4£ inches less than the winning performance of Masters. A. Martin, formerly of the Toko Club, was just out of a place in these jumps. The Caversham sprinter, Alf Jones, ran very well for fourth place in the 100 yards, being easily the prettiest runner on the track. J. Healey, another Otago athlete, was fourth in the discus throw, only three inches out of a place. K. W. Paterson (the ex-University athlete) was second in the half mile walk,. L. J. Dickel (formerly of Civil Service) was second in a heat of the 220 yards hurdles, and W. N. Burrows (Mornington) was third in the mile.