NEW ZEALAND CHESS ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2805, 18 December 1907, Page 67

NEW ZEALAND CHESS ASSOCIATION.

The quarterly meeting of the council of the New Zealand Chess Association was held in Wellington on the 9th inst., the following club delegates being present : -^Messrs H. H James and E. W. Petherick (Wellington), J. Gr. W. Dalrymple (Wellington Working Men's Club), P. Still (Auckland), P. K. Kelling(Masterton and Rangitikei), 0. H. Osmond and R. J. Barnes (Otago), and F. B. Sharp (Canterbury and Timwu). Mr James was elected to the chair. Ttt* Napier Club wrote askjng if the next

championship tournament could be held in that city, and suggesting March as an opportune date, at which time there was to be held a locftl fCarnival. As the date and place have already been fixed, the secretary had replied to that effect, and further, that as the club was not a member of the association, Napier was not eligible. On the motion of Mr Dalrymple, it was decided to send the Napier Club a cordial invitation to become- affiliated.

A letter from, the Gisborne Club was considered. There appeared to be some doubt as to whether the club's letter to a delegate could be construed into an application for affiliation, or whether it was merely an informal notice of an intention to affiliate Mr Barnes moved that it be considered as an application and be treated as such, and to that end proposed that the club be elected, and be notified that payment of the required subscription would complete their election. This was agreed to. Mr Kelling, in the absence of Ms Davies, moved the motion standing in the name of the latter, who wrote agreeing to an alteration suggested by Masterton. The motion as corrected read : " That in the event of the number of entries to the next championship tournament exceeding sixteen, the Congress Committee may refuse to accept such private nominations from. New Zealand as it may think $t." Mr Osmond moved, _ and Mr Barnes seconded, under instructions from Otago, the following amendment : " That there be no restrictions on the number of entries further than as provided for by the rules of the N.Z.C.A." On application for a ruling as to whether the, motion was in order or not, the chairman declared it to be out of order, as if carried it would constitute an alteration in the rules without the required two months' notice having been given. Although the association, or any committee of it, has not any power to reduce the number of entrants, the delegates were generally of opinion that there was no occasion for hurried action-, as the number of competitors at the next congress is not expected to be a large one. It was decided to hold a joint meeting of the local affiliated clubs on Saturday, the 14th inst., at 6* p.m., in the rooms of the Wellington Chess Club, for the purpose of electing a management committee for the coming championship congress. It was further decided to make a formal presentation of the united clubs' testimonial to Mr F. K. Kelling at the same time and place. The proceedings then terminated.