CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNEY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1851, 30 March 1904, Page 63

CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNEY.

In oui> last issue we mentioned hpving received inquiries as to when play started. We concluded that play would not start till Easter Monday, and loca? players agreed with us. On Saturday night, however, Mr Anderson, Wanganui, wired us that play starts on Friday, April 1, and the business meeting of the asEociation takes place on the Thursday night, March 31. This news was confirmed on Monday morning by letter from Mr Fleming. It •was 10 o'clock on Saturday night that we received the first word, when in company with Mr Lucas. He had immediate"y to set about altering certain arrangements, as the information made it necessary for competitors to leave on Tuesday morning, instead cf Wednesday or Thursday. An endeavour was niad-e to get word, through to Messrs Gardiner and Jacob Boreham, Oamaru, an-d, we believe, svecessfully. Messrs Hilliker and Brcdie received word the same night. Mr J. A. Boreham finds it impossible to get away, so that he will, for the first time, be conspicuous bj his absence from the New Zealand championship tourney. We can only regret the inevitable. .Last week we predicted that Mr J. A. Scott would, put in an appearance this week en icute for Wanganui. On Monday morning we received a letter from him commencing thus- — "I could not resist your blarney, so am coming through, ru>xt "Wednesday, if all's wall." We must thank him for sustaining our reputat.on in the prophetic role. We regret, however, that a difficulty may, or perhaps njjist, arise about Mr Scott's entry If play starts on Friday, we do not see. how Mr Scott can enter the championship tourney, as~he cannot get there before Saturday afternoon, or, should there be a night express from Wellington on Friday, or seme special train, he may reach his destination on Friday night. The championship beirg on the knock-out system, he could not Larly start aftei a day's play was over. The junior tourney, however, is an all-ionnd one, and the committee may arrange for him to start late in that without injuring anyone. As Mr Scott ■will have incurred expense before he can learn his position, and as his want of knowledge on the subject was not -due to any fault of his own, we feel sure the AvVjganui committee will endeavoui to nicet hi 3 ease if possib'e. We would have wired Mr Scott the information, but had not his addiess. It is rather unfortunate that all details were not sent south earlier, and so have avoided inconvenience and annoyance. 'Mr J. Hannah, who played in the Oamaru tourney, is going up to Wanganui, but docs not intend to play.