CHRISTCHURCH CHESS CLUB

Star (Christchurch), Issue 897, 15 April 1871, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH CHESS CLUB

The annual general meeting of members was held in their rooms at the Literary Institute last night ; Mr J. Colborne Veei presiding The Chairman, having explained the business to be transacted, called upon the Hon. Secretary, who read the following report of proceedings during the past year : — " The iast annual meeting was held oa April 8, 1870, when H. J. Tancred, Esq., was elected president of the club, and Messrs A. Martin and Q. Stead secretary and treasurer respectively. The greater part of the year has been occupied in conducting a tournament for the championship of the province. This tournament was not confined to members of the club, but was open to all chess players who were actually members of a recognised chess club in the province. The tournament was commenced on April 22, and was so far concluded in October as to result in the appointment of Mr W. D. Wood as representative of the Christchurch Club on the final matches. The representatives of the other clubs having been also appointed, the final tournament was commenced and continued during the monthß of October and November, finally resulting in the success of Mr H. Hookham, the representative of the Kaiapoi Chess Club, Mr Wood being second in the number of games won. At a meeting of the club in December, Mr Hookham was unanimously elected an honorary member. A dinner was held on February 3, at the Clarendon Hotel, H. J. Tanored, Esq., presiding, on which occasion the prizes were presented to the successful competitors in the tournament Mr Hookham receiving the first prize, and the championship certificate, and Mr Wood the second prize. A match, by telegraph, with the Dunedin Chess Club has been commenced, only one game having as yet been played. A prize of the value of £3 has been offered by Mr Wo -d, to be played for by the members of the club, and a challenge has been received from the Lyttelton Chess Club, to a series of games by telegraph. From the above report of the year's proceedings, it will be seen that the club is making satisfactory progress. It has lost three members during the year, namely, the Rev. J. 08. Hoare, Captain Simmons, and Mr Swift, who have left Canterbury, but several new members have joined, and the total number, exclusive of honorary members, is 29. The increased number of club matches is also a promising sign. The match with Otago will, it is hoped, lead to several similar inter-provincial' matches, which, together with the series of games now in course of arrangement with Lyttelton, and the contest for Mr Wood's prize, will no doubt contribute largely to spread an interest in chess, and improving both the numbers and effective force of the club. It will be gratifying to the members to learn that the club has been very favourably noticed in many of the colonial newspapers, and that several of the games played in the late tournament were published in one of the papers in the North Island as well as in the Press of Christchurch. The appointed term of office having expired, it will be necessary for the members to elect a president, a secretary, and a treasurer, nnd also to elect a committee of management, lor the ensuing year. " A. Mahtin, Hon. Sec. " Christchurch Chess Club." Mr Wood moved that the report be adopted. Mr Johnstone seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Mr Stead, treasurer, reported that subscriptions were outstanding to the amount of £6 58, and there was a balance in band of 5s 4d, making a total of £6 10s 4d. Against

this there were liabilities to tbe amount of 1 2s, leaving a credit balance of £5 18s 4d. On the motion of Mr Wood, a vote of thanks was unanimously accorded to the retiring officers of the club, for their valuable services during the past year. The election of officers for the ensuing year was next proceeded with, and resulted as follows : — President, J. C. Veel; secretary, A. Martin; treasurer, G. Stead; committee, H. J. Tancred, W. D. Wood, and E. G. Griffiths; the president, secretary, and treasurer also to be members ex- officio. The handicapping of the players for Mr W. D. Wood's prize was referred to the managing committee. On the motion of Mr Ollivier it was resolved that the match with the Dunedin club be proceeded with as soon as arrangements can be made by tbe committee. A similar course was also agreed upon with reference to the challenge from the Lyttelton club. Mr Martin moved and it was agreed, that a cordial vote of tbanks be accorded to Mr ' Reader, clerk of the Institute, for tbe kind and unremitting attention at all times paid by him to the comfort of the members of the Club during their meetings ih tbe Institute. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings.