The Wanganui Tournament. TO THE DRAUGHTS EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2206, 11 June 1896, Page 40

The Wanganui Tournament. TO THE DRAUGHTS EDITOR.

Sir.— ln reply to the letter of Mr David Alexander Brodio in yout issue of the 23rd inst., I have a few words to »ay. He the advice the writer talks of, I confess myself ever ready to i receive and consider well that same article : and* f artharraore, act on it if sensible. Mr Brodle, for all I know, may not thave enough for himself, and he Bhould bo careful about giving it atray-so jecklessSy. Tn my letter laakea the question j "JfffW Mr Brodie ever attended a tournament fa New Zealand that could boast of such a representative gathering as the 'one so successfully carried out here ? " In reply, Mr Brodie maintains that tho " Wanganui tournament fades into Insignificance when compared with the Australian championship held in Dunedin in 1885 or the Exhibition tournament "held in 1890." We will pass by the Australian championship, because the question concerning us is tha New Zealand championship. Now we have the Dunedin Exhibition tournament to compare with our tournament. I know 'perBonally several player* who were competitors at the Exhibition tourney, and these competitors did not hesitate in the least to avow- that the Wauga&ui championship tournament was far ahead of the one held in Dunedin in 1890, and that outs was a far more renvesentfttive gathering, and if Mr Brodi« will look iuto the entry lißt of our tournament ha will fl> d that nearly every province in -New Zealand was represented. I quite agree wfrh Mr Brodie that his being third at the Duned'n tournament was a meritorious performance; so also was the performance of Mr Boreliam, who, I believe, secured second honours. The draughts players about. Wanganui think very highly of the playing powers of Mr Brodie, and have not changed their opinion in fhe least. We did all we could to push "thff cause of draughts to the front, and for thiß purpose wo obtained tho sum of £50, and also did our best to get Mr B'odie amongst us to take part in the tourney, guaranteeing to pay all his expenses should .'he fail to win a prize. This we thought a fair offer, and there are many others of the same opinion. We studied, as I said before, the cause of drauglits, not our pocket. Mr Brodie studied his pocket ! I feel sure that there are many Dunedin players who have a word of approval for our action, notwithstanding that Mr Brodie«Bßume3 to carry all Duuedin with him, and that he .expresses their views. My own opinion is that several Dunedin and southern players will take part in next year's championship, and that thw do not all agree with Mr Broriie s action towards pur committee and the cause of of draughts. There is one cheering thing I can touch on here with regard to the" late tournament, and that is the steady progress pf the New Znaland Draughts Association, which was tho outcome of the congress. I believe there are nearly 200 members already in this association, and I feel confident that before tho time arrives to conduct the next chftmjnojship tournament there will be close on 500 members. Mr Brodie, why not bury the hatchet and join us, and let us all work together to send the grand old game along ?— I am, <fee, , Ernest Mansfield, Vice-president NewZealaud Draughts Association. TO THE DRAUGHTS EDITOR. Sir,— lf the person who signs himHelf " Jockey" will giy* his proper name I will be very happy to give him a little more information than he appears to have found iv his old papers about myaolf, seeing that he is so anxious, but I decline to take any further notice of auo'»ymous letters, as I "believe they all flow from the one aource— "R Brown" included —I am, Ac, Port Chalmers. Hugh Montgomery.