Queen's Birthday Draughts Match.

Otago Witness, Issue 1853, 27 May 1887, Page 28

Queen's Birthday Draughts Match.

Town v. Country. The largest draughts gathering that has ever been , held 'in the colony took place on Tuesday night in the Dunedin Chess and Draughts Club Boom, Baldwin Hotel. The large room was literally packed by the players and their friends, and the greatest interest was' taken in the match. ■ Mr W. Houston, president of the club, was captain of the Town team, and Mr W. 0. Duthie, ot Highcliff, Peninsula,aetefl in a like capacity foi the Country players. Jt. may . be ;mentioned, as showing the widespread interest taken in the event, that representatives from Lawrence, Tokomairiro, Bicnarton, Mosgiel,' Sawyers' Bay,-Port'Chalmers, Portobello, Highcliff, NorthBast Harbour, Broad Bay, 1 Palmerstofi, Oamara.and Tokomairiro were engaged in the tourney.' It will be'seep that there were 31 players a, side, and the following shows how the player* were pitted against one another, with their 'respective scores :— ' Town.' '' •' Countsy. Wins'. ' Draws. •••' r. • wjq,, 2 W Robertson ... 0- D Lee ... 2 2 WKirk " ... p JConnell .;. 2 4 J P Bell , ... 0 J Shore '. ... n ' 2 DRHay ... i WMpir ... 1 2 HHowps ... 1' B Miller .;. 1 I ET'Earl '.:. 3' TNfjlll ... 6 1 J Ferguson ... 2 L Edwards ... 1 1 T Diokeon ... 1 < H Montgomery... 2 1 A Peterson ... 3 D Brown ... 0 2 B Mason ... 2 John Christla „. 0 1 J Bobson ...' 0 W May ... 3 3 G Lloyd ... 0 . OSurfleet ... 1 1 A Thomson ...-0 B Harkness ... 3 0 H Jeffs ... 1 . J C Scott ... 3 1 W Houston ... 2 WO Duthie ... 1 1 B Cook ... 1 TBobertson ... 2 3 LShaw ... l ' J Steel ... 0 2 JPaterson ... l John Robertson... 1 "2 A Larking "... 0 G Coohrane ... 2 4 WCorbett ... 0 OGiJlespie ... 0 2 D Pyfe ... 2. J Deara ... 0 0 BCaldow ... l J Hailstones ... 3 0 W A Lucas ... l Jas Bobertson ... 3 0 JP Malcolm ... l JBoss \ ... 3 8 S Lean ' ;.. 0 G Geary ■ ... 0 0 JDalziel ■ • :.. 1 A Higgle ... 3 3 D Mann ... 1 J Duncan ... 0 Q ABestieaux ... 2 J.'Anderson >„• 9 • 'Q JMuir ' ... 3. ABringans „. 1 - 0 SAndrews ...2 B'Hinkley ..'. 0 2 B Barclay ... 1 J Christie . ... 0

It willthuß be seen that the town , team won by six gajnei, and considering (he, number of player* W*

gaged, the match was a very close one. .Great excitement prevailed throughout, as now and then the scores were almost equal.

At the conclusion of the match, the visiting team were entertained at supper by, their town friends. The president, W. Houston, occupied the chair, and Captain W. O. Duthle was vice-chairman. ,The tables were amply spread with good thiDgs, and were done full justice to. The Chairman, in a few pithy, and appropriate remarks, proposed. a heartr vote of thanks to the country representatives, and congratulated them on coming so near to victory. Captain Duthie suitably responded, and hoped they would be able to turu the tablet against their town friends on some other occasion, but thanked them heartily on behalf of the country players for treating them so handsomely. The Chairman then called upon Mr David R. Hay toaddrets the meeting, and in doing so said that he had done more to advance the game of draughts than any other man in New Zealand. Mr Hay, in a few appropriate words, returned thanks, and mentioned that he had received a letter on behalf of Mr J. Wyllie, draughts champion, asking what inducements were likely to be offered by' the draughts players of the colony to induce him to pay a visit. He cordially hoped those present would do something to give the " Herd Laddie " a hearty welcome. ' It was moved by Mr L. Shaw, and seconded by Mr J. C. Scott, of Palmereton, " That the commit-, tee of the Duneoin Club, with the assistance of representatives of other clubs, should use their best exertions to get up a testimonial to present to Mr Wyllie on his arrival." . This proposition was heartily supported by Mr J. Robahtsoh, president of the Lawrence Draughts Club, and carried unanimously. Several songs were sung during the evening, which were much appreciated. The Ohaibmaw proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Henry T. Read, of the Baldwin Hotel, for his admirable catering. Thus ended the largest and most successful draughts match that has ever taken place in New Zealand.