N.Z. Chess Association Rules.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 58

N.Z. Chess A ssociation Rules.

A draft of the pioposed rules of the New Zealand Chess Association has been prepared, and forwarded, we presume, for the consideration ot the various amhated clubs for their suggestion and criticisms. There is a very o.d fctory -about a paintsr who invited criticisms ot a work which he had produced. The result is too \\ ell known to need repetition. Messrs Blackburne, Clcland, and Forsyth are competent to draw up the required rules, and if they were not, would not be made so by the help of the invited criticisms. The obvious and proper course is to furnish them with instructions as to subjects on which rules are needtd and the principles to which it is desired to gne effect. The curving out ot such instructions by the use of suitable and proper v. ortls is the draftsmen's duty. The collection of all the fad 3of all the chess players in the colony is not likely to cc.iduce to the pioductio.i of a s.'tisfactoiy code of rules. We do not propose to criticise the work of the draftsmen, but mention seme objections to one or two of tlie principles on which the rules are lounded. 'ihe first and strongest, objection is to the principle embodied in proposed rule 3, that "So one may be a. member of the Xew Zealand Chebs Association unless he was either (a) born in New Zealand or (b) has his home or place of general residence m .New Zealand, aud has lived m New Zealand not less than six •months, 'llns is .i kind ot supplement to the Undesirable lmniigiaiits Act. The proposers and supporters ox this lule ought to let the public know then names. Thay ouglit to be rewarded with a title. The lawyers are usually considered a vory conservative body, and tenacious of their rights and privileges. ¥et ytars ago when a distinguished membc-r of tlie Victorian bar was retained to defend some persons accused ot serious offences, the bar ana bench of New Zealand at once admitted him to all the privileges of the New Zealand bar, and considered themselves honoured in so domg. They never once gave a thought that he was carrying away fees which wotiltt have come to seme ot themselves, nor did they grudge him the honour and distinction of taking the lead in an important defence. Chess is a cosmopolitan pastime, and liberty, equality, and fraternity should be the watchwords of chess plajers. The visit of a distinguished chess player would, without doubt, greatly promote the" interest of the game. Oi what are our c'ness legislators afraid? Is it that some player Irani a neighbouring State should come to New Zealand and carry oil one of the prizes offered by the N.Z.C. Association? It is hardly likely that anyone will consider them wortn the trouble and expense of coming often, even if they could be gained by merely coming to New Zealand. Is it that they fear thai some one .should come and carry off the recently created title of Chess Champion, of New Zealand'? If New Zealand can find no player able to hold it against r. stranger, what is the honour worth ? And is it not all the more desirable that visitors should be invited and encouraged to come, in order that we may have the benefit of their instruction, and the stimulus of emulation afforded us.. Even m New Zealand, which has prided itself, with some reason, upon being the home of freedom, of equality and fraternity, there are to be found some who are willing to decoiate Ihemselves with the worn and soiled rags stripped from the dying carcases o! feudalism. Surely chess players .should not be among those. New Zealand chess players as a body were satisfied with the rules now used in all tlie principal chess associations and clubs in Great Britain and the United States of America. This code was prepared by strong pnd experienced players, who were also good English scholars, ■nho had taken great care to put the rules in good and intelligible language, free from ambiguities and matters which would give rise to disputes as to the meaning of the language used. Some of our wiseacres thought they could improve on the code, and m the present pamphlet they present the result of th-eir deliberations. Chess in New Zealand is played in exa-ctly the same way as it is in other parts of the world. Why, then, should New Zealand need different rules from thoae already in use— which have stood the test ol usp, and have not been found defective? We do not wish to be hypeicritiral, but at the panic time we venture to say that the proposed new rules leave a good deal to be desired in the matter of clearness of expression and accuracy in the use oi language. Eule 8 says • " The secretaryship and treasu-le-rshin shall together constitute one office." This is the doctrine of bi-unity in unity, and it is at least doubtful whether it is not heretical. We suppose that what, was intended was, that one and the same perbou might hold the two offices Going a little fartht-i in the same rule we find that the offices of secretary and trcasuier m;iy be vacated by i (.solution of the council at any time. This i« a bold personification of a resolution. Referring to Webster, v.-o find that "vacnto" means, i.moig other things, "to leave empty," etc. As theic is nothing m tim rules providing for the appointment of a resolution to either of tl.e oflUt*,, \% c won-lei how jt <jn possibly \ac«tte ofihee-. \\lncli it ne\er held' Pcihup'j thib an«c= noin du'mess ot apprehension on our part. There are many oilier things ill the proposed legulation-, which noed explanation to make them undeistandable by persons of dull witelligenr c Bui the pro \erb says, ' We shou'd not look v gift hor=e in the mouth. As the Xew Zealand Clu^s Association has b^on good orousli to make a. gift of something we did not i.eed, it eight to be leteived in the same kindly spirit, m which it is given. The gentlemen to whom was .<!- lottid the somewhat difficult task of drawing up the rtL'ulationa ha\ c pro'uabl> nude th" best of the crude rt solutions given them, and they, at liny iate, are deserving of thank.- for the trouble they have taken m the interests of N< w Zealand chess. We do not think there are many leading New Zealand players who v.-ould not. fo<-l .tkiunipcl oi bring til' oi i-jmator or «upportei oi inib naiiow-nnndcd paioch.ai mlo. Cl.apt-u If, section 2. cicatr= the title or che^s champion of New Zealand What i-> the meaning of champion } The diLlionaiy say1 One who engages in any contest, especially ore who has the acknowledged superionty as a pnzo-figlitri, waterman, etc , one ready to fight all who offer against him/—W ebster. It has been heretofore adapted to persons excelling ,n phv°ical contest- By what possible figure of "-peech classing distni}jui a hed chess players ns undesirable immigrants originated with the diatt«=men ' It is to be hoped that the pio-po-ei^ and supporters, of this motion will own up. In casr any Fimilai ideas should be runnmtj ii their heads, we recommend them to ' pi » cmall-tootlied ron'bs and clear them out.

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