Chess Items.

Otago Witness, Issue 2762, 20 February 1907, Page 62

Chess Items.

Mr S. S. Blackburne, of Christchurch, is the subject of No. VI of the series of notes on chess problem composers of New Zealand which Mr AVain C. White is contributing to the chess column of the Times. Accompanying the letterpress are no fewer than eight problems by Mr Blackburne, one composed specially for the Times (No. 960) being illustrated. Mr White writes: "The late Mr Samuel Tinsley once expressed the opinion in the Times weekly edition that Mr S. S. Blackburne was one of the best living authorities on the problem art ; nor was this exaggerated praise." _It is remarked that while in the colony Mr Blackburne studied the theory of chess problems thoroughly, and was liberal with his learning for Ine benefit of local composers and solvers, and that his articles on the problem art soon became known outside New Zealand, and served to establish his well-deserved reputation. In 1903 he undertook to renew the debt of New Zealand to him by preparing a work on chess in that colony, and Mr White observes: "It is a. great pity that illness has forced him to give up this plan, which this series of articles, based on some of his materials, can do little to replace. Mr Blackburne has been too busy to do much composing, and his whole output does not amount to more than a, score of problems, all of which except three are twomovera. But his compositions have met with considerable success in tourneys. . . . Aside from problems, Mr Blackburne has taken an active part in introducing the British chess code into New Zealand, find in framing the laws for play by telegraph in the code itself. Mr Blackburne is at present preparing a second edition of his ' Problem Terms and Characteristics,' which, it is expected, will be published within the next few weeks by an English house. The new edition will be a considerable enlargement upon the first, and will contain a preface written several years ago by the late Mr A. F. Mackenzie, and be illustrated with numerous examples."

A sudden death occurred at Gore on Thursday, when Mrs Malcolm M'Lean, an old district resident who has lately been living in Oamaru, passed away after an illness lasting only an hour or two. RHEVifo has cured thousands of sufferers from rheumatism gout, sciatica, lumbago. It will euro you Try >t A.l stores and chemists, 2/6 and. 4/6. A positive cure.