ROUND OF SPORT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 85, 12 April 1940, Page 9

ROUND OF SPORT

WHITHER BADMINTON THIS SEASON? A. G. HUNTER, A FINE ALL-ROUNDER J. SUTHERLAND’S BIG YEAR With the new season just getting under way, the question arises, What is to become of badminton during the next year or two, or at least, for the duration of the war? Last year the game was threatened by a shortage of shuttles, but that obstacle was satisfactorily overcome. This year, however, the import licence has been reduced by 50 per cent., and although doubt is expressed in some quarters as to whether this will bring sufficient shuttles into the country, there is reason to believe that the surplus stocks from last year will see the game through this season at least, even though provincial contests may have to be curtailed. And then there is the still more important manner in which the war has affected the game. Not only have many players enlisted, but the shuttle industry has received a far more severe blow than any local import restrictions could have struck, for the source of the special type of feather required for the industry Is now in enemy hands, Poland and Czechoslovakia being the only two countries exporting this vital commodity. As long as the war lasts, therefore, unless some alO-rnative source of supply is forthcoming, the future of badminton wherever it is played hangs in the balance.

A. G. Hunter, brilliant Canterbury Rugby centre-three-quarter, must take rank as one of the best all-round sportsmen in the country. Rugby may he his forte, but he is a first-rate rower (he was a member of the Canterbury College crew which won the university eight-oar race at Lyttelton last Saturday) is a competent tennis player, a good swimmer, and a fair track runner. Hunter will be remembered as the outstanding centre in the last All Black trials. He made only one appearance, in the early game on the final day. Maybe, the man opposing him was hardly up to standard, but Hunter for all that looked a pretty complete footballer. Perhaps his handling was not all that it might have been, but he cut tjie defence to ribbons. His swerving was devastating.

A successful athletic season has been experienced by J. Sutherland, the New Zealand sprint champion. He has won 11 major events during February and March of this year, and defeated the New South Wales sprint champion, Brian Dunn, on two occasions, in a 100 yards event at Lower Hutt, the time being 10s, and in the 100 yards event at the New Zealand University championships at Christchurch, the time being 10 l-ss. He was also a member of the winning relay team at the New Zealand championships. The major events he has won and his times are as follows:—100yds. (Wellington), 10 l-55.; 100yds. (Masterton), 10s.; 100 yards (Wellington), 9 4-55.; 100yds. (Wellington championships), 10 2-55.; 100yds. (New Zealand championships, at Wellington), 10 4-5.; 100yds. (Victoria College championship); 220yds. (Victoria College championship), 225; 100yds. (New Zealand University championship, Christchurch), 10 l-ss; 220yds. (New Zealand University championship, Christchurch), 22 4-55.; 100yds. (Lower Hutt), 10s.; 50yds. (Lower Hutt), 5 2-ss. A bulletin issued by the Nelson College Old Boys’ Association to its members draws attention to a strange coincidence in connection with Rugby matches played by the college first fifteen last winter. It took part in the annual inter-collegiate tournament at Wanganui, drawing with Christ’s College, Christchurch, 6-all, and with Wellington College, 14-all. Just prior to the tournament Nelson College played Waitakfßoys’ High School and, curiously enough, this result also was a draw, 12-all. * * • • Of particular interest to tennis players was the recent wedding 6f Miss Griffiths, youngest daughter of E. W. Griffiths, of Auckland, to Eric Dickie, second son of Mrs. C. J. Dickie, of Hawera. Not only are the bride and bridegroom well-known players, but the bride’s father, E. W. Griffiths, has at various times won all three Auckland titles, and the bridegroom’s father was a member of the famous pair of Wallace and Dickie, several times New Zealand doubles champions. In the three Hawke Cup cricket matches in which he participated this season T. L. Pritchard, the New Zealand, Wellington, and Manawatu fast bowler, secured 32 wickets for 156 runs, which gave him the phenomenal average of 4.87 runs per wicket. T. Downes, who shared the Manawatu attack with Pritchard for the main part, also fared exceptionally well, his figures reading 18 wickets for 128 runs, a cost of just over 7 runs each.