CROQUET COMMENCED

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1934, Page 12

CROQUET COMMENCED

OPENING OF CLUB LAWNS SELECTION OF DOMINION TEAM. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP DATE.

(By

“Hoop.”)

Club Openings. West End, Thursday, October 18. Kawaroa, Saturday, October 20. Coming Tournaments. Wairarapa (Featherston), November 20. North Island championships (Wanganui), January 3, 1935. South Island championships (Dunedin), January 3, 1935. Southland association (Invercargill), January 30, 1935. Wellington association (Hutt and Petone), February 5, 1935. Manawatu association (Palmerston North). February 12, 1935. West Coast association (Greymouth), February 12, 1935, Otago championships (Dunedin) February 19, 1935. Wanganui association (Wanganui), February 21, 1935. Taranaki association (New Plymouth), February 21, 1935. Hawkes Bay championships (Napier). February 26, 1935. New Zealand championships (Auckland), early in March. New Plymouth Opening. Favourable weather and the excellent state of the lawns made for enjoyable and successful opening days for most of the New Plymouth croquet clubs on Saturday. At the New Plymouth lawns there was an exceptionally large attendance of members and visitors, including Dr. G. Home (patron of the Taranaki Croquet Association). Mrs. G. E. Dinniss (vice-president) in the absence of Mrs. T. J. Griffin (president) welcomed members and friends. After declaring the lawns open for play she called upon Mrs. Courtenay, a life member of the club, to pjay the first ball. Golf croquet arranged by Mrs. A. S. Clark was played and won by Mrs. Fairhall, with Miss Alexander second. The prises were donated by Mrs. Griffin. A competition arranged by Miss Pavitt was won by Mrs. D. Smith, Auckland. Afternoon tea and floral decorations were undertaken by Mrs. Brown and her committee. Central Club.

The members and friends of the Central Club were the guests of the president of the New Plymouth Bowling Club, Mr. Franklin White, to afternoon tea on Saturday. In declaring the lawns open Mr. White asked Mrs. Ford, president, to play the first ball. Progressive croquet was played and won by Mrs. W. West Pukekuia Park Club.

There was a large attendance of members and friends at the opening of the Pukekura Park lawns on Saturday. The president, Miss Muske, welcomed all players and visitors and drove the first ball. Golf croquet was played and Mrs. McGabey was the winner in the A grade and Mrs. Read in the B grade. A competition was won by Miss Sole and afternoon tea was served in the club room, where the floral decorations, the work of Mrs. McGabey, were much admired. New Zealand Team.

All Taranaki players extend congratulations to F. L. Hartnell on being selected for the New Zealand team to play at Melbourne in January, 1935. The following players have been selected to represent New Zealand at the first world’s international croquet championships to be held at Melbourne on January 19: A. G. F. Ross (Christchurch). F. L. Hartnell (New Plymouth), H. P. Stratton (Hastings), Mrs. W. E. Caldow (Wellington), and Mrs. W. N. Corbet (Dunedin) with Mrs. J. Anstis (Palmerston North) emergency. Both Ross and Stratton have previously represented New Zealand in Australia in the contest for the McRobertson shield five years ago. They were partnered against the formidable Miller and Mrs. Miller, who beat the English contestants, Miss D. Steel and Colonel Du Poe, on two occasions. Ross (—3) has won the New Zealand open championship on seven occasions, the New Zealand doubles, South Island open, English gold medal, and the Canterbury championship on ten occasions. Last season he won the New Zealand men’s championship. Stratton (—IJ) has won the New Zealand championship and North Island championship on two occasions, as well as the New Zealand and North Island doubles event. In addition he has won several provincial championships, and when put to the test was generally to be relied upon.

Hartnell (—1) last year won the New Zealand open championship, was runnerup to Ross for the men’s championship, and with Mrs. Caldow won the New Zealand doubles event. Hartnell has also won seven provincial championships. Mrs. W. E. Caldow (—W has won the New Zealand women’s championship on two occasions, the North Island women’s, the South Island women’s, the North Island open, and the New Zealand doubles championship with Hartnell last year. Mrs. Caldow has won numerous provincial championships. Mrs. W. N. Corbet (—J) has won the South Island women’s championship three times, the English gold medal, South Island doubles with Ross, and last year the South Island open championship. Mrs. Anstis (—1) has won the North Island women’s championship, and with Mrs. Simpson the North Island doubles. Mrs. Anstis has also won a number of provincial championships. Croquel Annual.

The Croquet Annual is now to hand. This year’s Annual is much the same as last year’s, which did not leave room for much improvement. The handicaps are again in double column, and the introduction by Mr. F. L. Hartnell, and the explanatory notes by the New Zealand Referee (Mrs. Caldow) make interesting reading.

Dominion Championships. No date is mentioned for the New Zealand championships, but this event which was originally to have taken place on January 14, had to be postponed on account of the alteration in the programme of the test match in Australia and will now take place as soon as possible after the arrival in the Dominion of the English and Dominion teams. This should be about the second week in March and as far as is known at present the English visitors will complete in the tournament. Personal Items. Mrs. L. Chivers, Fitzroy, is visiting Thames. Mrs. H. Greig, New Plymouth, is spending a holiday at Auckland. Mrs. L. A. Brown expects to return on Monday after a short visit to Auckland. Miss Johnson, Dunedin, was a visitor at the opening of the New Plymouth lawns on Saturday. Mrs. Walton, Pukekura, will manage the Taranaki tournament to be held in February, with Mrs. Hartnell as assistant.