Sports and Pastimes.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13957, 17 July 1909, Page 1 (Supplement)

Sports and Pastimes.

Mr Horace Rice, one of Australasia's greatest tennis players, is at present in Dunediu. "Horry" as his friends call him, was champion of Australasia in 1907, New South Wales in 1904, 1905, and 1907, Victoria in 1901 and 1902, and Queensland in 1907. In addition to these he has up till the present retained his form so well that lie still holds the Sydney Metropolitan Singles and Sydney Club Singles, both of which ho has secured on numerous occasions. Last Easter he won the Wellington Provincial Championship against all the best North Island players, and experienced little difficulty in doing so. He also Von the Doubles with-Harold Brown i Since his. arrival in the Dominion Mr Rice has playin every centre from Auckland -to Dunedin. In Christchurch he played all and every day against Wilding and Ollivier. "it is unnecessary to give his opinion of the former, but he predicts a great future for Mr Ollivier, especially if he gives himself a chance to build up his strength. • * *

On May 21st Miss Dorothy Campbell, the Muss'elburgh player, won the English Golf Championship, beating tho Irish golfer, Miss Florence Hezlet, in the final on the links of the Birkdale Club. Both of the duellists have been silver medallists in the last tw'o years, Miss Campbell, who is the Scottish champion, being beaten, at St. Andrews, last' season, by Miss Maud Titterton, although not until the match had been taken to the nineteenth green, whilst Miss Hezlet was beaten, ui the last round, at Newcastle, County Down, in 1907, by her sister, then Miss Titterton, the holder, scratched from the present competition on account of the sudden death : of her finance. Miss Campbell has several, times been/favourite for championship honours, and her victory was.very popular. Her.young opponent started somewhat nervously, and never succeeded in getting the lead, and was defeated by 4 holes at the fifteenth. The match was followed by a gallery of nearly a thousand spectators.

Before the Australians "struck form," " Corinthian " in the London " Daily Chronicle " (May 22ud), wrote : —"lt is unwise to jump hastily to a conclusion concerning the ability of a team of first-class Colonial cricketers. It is, of course, obvious to all that in their game against Surrey and in the two days' play that have taken place at Lord's, the Australians have shown form Which does justify them being regarded as of a class superior to that of a first-class cricketing county. Yet, against Notts and Essex the Colonials gave exhibitions that could only be regarded as remarkably fine for men who had had no time to get a trifle accustomed to so great a change of climate. But at the present moment the glory of the Australians is -not present,'. and people are wondering if the side is really good enough to give eleven of the best\of English cricketers the trying struggle that is usually associated with a Test match. There is no cause for panic in the minds of the well-wish-ers of Australian cricket, for the characteristic ability, of the Colonial cricketer to rise to the requirements of a great occasion is traditional. At Birmingham next week we shall certainly see better cricket from our visitors than that shown at the Oval and Lord's. In all Test matches the Australians have shown a confidence that lias been a wonderfully valuable asset to them —a confidence that has not always been displayed by the English representatives."

TERRITORIAL ATHLETES. The best •amateur athletes belonging to the Territorial Army in London were to compete for prizes to the value of £1 7,000 in the Stadium of the White

City on June 2G, 1909. On May 22nd a meeting of commanding officers and other members of the County Association of London, with the Duke of Fife in the chair, was held at the United Service Institution to promote the success and discuss the details of the programme. The idea of this great gathering of Territorial athletes was mainly due, said Lord Esher, to Mr Joseph Lyons, who had collected most of the prize money, and to whom the Territorial Army owed a great debt of gratitude. Mr Lyons explained the purpose he had had in view in making the suggestion in the first place to the Secretary for War and Lord Esher. There was, he said, a great many athletes in the country, young men keenly interested in amateur sport, who only wanted discipline. At present many of them were outside the Territorial Army, and the question which had occurred to him was what inducement could be offered them to join? Such a pro-n-amme as that arranged and such rizes as were offered would certainly attract a great number of these young men, and he was under the impression that if a really big success could be made of the contest in London the county associations would follow suit, so that there might be a grand Olympic gathering every year. One of the speakers had said that the champions would stand outside because they could not go into camp in August, and so 1 lose their prizes in competitions arranged during that month. But after all the champions were few, while the athletes numbered hundreds of thousands. The enthusiasm of these men might be aroused by offering them trophies and prizes not to he gained in ordinary clubs. ' , £ ! There was no difficulty about that, said Mr Lyons. Already he had promises of prizes for next year, to the extent of" £SOOO. The employers of labour were interested in this idea, and some of the prize-money in this instance had been given by big manufacturers. They were willing to do more, and to cxteiid their gifts to other county associations, and wherever sports may be held in connection with the Territorial Army. "I think," said Mr Lyons, "you may help to make the Territorial Force popular by "stirring the enthusiasm for sport among our young men by making them keen to take part in these great yearly contests, and. giving them the opportunity of gaining national honours and good prizes in the annual competitions. If we make a success of this first great contest the scheme will afterwords work by itself." Mr Lyons's speech was warmly applauded, and some of the rules and details of the programme for June 26 were discussed by the members of the association present at the meeting. Mr J. E. K. Studd, the well-known cricketer, who is responsible for the details put before the committee, explained that one difficulty, mentioned by the Duke of Fife, had been overcome. This was the danger due to the great divergence of Territorial units in the various districts of London, that one unit or even a few individuals might carry off all or the majority of prizes. The rule had therefore "been" made that no competitor may gain more than two prizes, and that no unit may be represented by ftio.ro than two men.

This gave a fair chance to everyone, while the best unit in the London Territorials would win, as it would deserve to win, the Grand Challenge Bowl,

valued at £2OO, for tho highest aggregate in field, cycling, and swimming events. It was suggested that ;i committee should bo appointed in each battalion to arouse the interest of tho men in these athletic sports and to arrange for the competition. Colonel Hyslop, on behalf of the City of London, explained that he had already anticipated tho desire of tho committee, and that one officer of each iin.it had been asked to take up tho work, and that some units wero already acting energetically.

One great event in the programme is bound to prove of the greatest popular interest, and to draw great crowds to the Stadium. This will be a Territorial Marathon race, upon ' novel lines. It will be a " go-as-you-please race " (walking or running) between teams of sixteen, and tho idea is that of flying sections getting from one point to. another in the quickest possible time and in tho best possible style, fresh and fit for fighting at tho journoy's end. The teams will start from five points, converging towards the end into two routes. These route's will not be published except to tho teams, and will be kept an absolute secret in order to spare the police as much as nossiblo, to prevent great crowds on the way. and to cncentrnte all interest on the arrival nt the Stadium. One officer will be allowed in each team, and will wear service dress, with sword, hnrersnek and water-hottfe. T'le men will wear khnVi, with belt, haversack, waterbottle, and puttees, with two leather pouches, the' bayonet carried in fro-r mid the rifle as usual to the Territorial Fo-"p.

The chief m-izo will b» n. Gra"d Ch"lle'tee Trophv, value £2OO, for tho winning unit, and in addition there' will ho n cun v»hic £o to e"ch man who'finishes in the winning team: a "vn vilu" £3 tf> each man. who fir>jci>"s ri the sequel tea" 1 ; pud a oi"> ™lim £9J to each man who finishes in the third team.