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The Spike: or, Victoria University College Review, June 1929

The Tournament

page 58

The Tournament.

Athletics.—100yds., J. N. Goodson; 220yds., E. K. Eastwood, J. N. Goodson; 440yds., E. K. Eastwood, E. B. Smith; 880yds., R. Leech, E. B. Smith; 1 mile, R. Leech, J. C. K. Fabian; 3 miles, J. C. K. Fabain; 120yds Hurdles, F. S. Ramson, J. D. Mackay; 440yds. Hurdles, F. S. Ramson; Long Jump, F. S. Ramson, J. D. Mackay; High Jump, F. S. Ramson.

Tennis.—Men's Singles Championship, G. N. T. Goldie and C. E. Malfroy; Men's Doubles Championship, R. McL. Ferkins and C. S. S. Plank, C. E. Malfroy and G. T. N. Goldie; Ladies Singles Championship, Miss M. Line and Miss M. Carty; Ladies' Doubles Championship, Misses V. Dyer and K. Ziesler, Misses M. Carty and M-Line; Combined Doubles Championship, M. Carty and G. N. T. Goldie, M. Line and C. E. Malfroy.

Boxing.—Heavy-weight, L. E. Sowry; Middle-weight, F. C. Moore; Welter-weight, M. E. Mahoney; Light-weight, H. Petrie; Feather-weight, D. G. Edwards; Bantamweight, J. K. Logan.

Basket ball.—Misses M. Carty, E. Hardy, M. Line. P. Metson, M. Patterson, D. Pillar, D. Roberts, I. Scarfe, V. Wilson. Emergency, Miss Z. Askerman.

Debating.—G. R. Powles and W. J. Mountjoy.

Shooting.—H. F. Bollard, T. G. Hislop, J. D. Mackay, E. W. Mills, P. S. Page, R. Grant, J. A. Singleton, W. S. Harris.

Delegates.—G. B. Richardson and G. J. Sceats.

The Aucklanders arrived in Wellington on Thursday at mid-day and were entertained at tea at the Y.M.C.A. The majority of our team left by the Lyttelton ferry on the Thursday night, making, with the Auckland team, a party of over a hundred. The trip down, fortunately, was smooth, and our spirits still high when we were met next morning by our Canterbury hosts on the Christchurch station. After receiving the various packages and meeting our billeters, we were conveyed to our various destinations. The remainder of the day was spent in preparation for the coming conflicts, or at the "rendezvous" where dancing, music, girls, suppers, books and many other delightful things were to be obtained all through the Tournament. The boxers, after the weighing-in ceremony, in preparation for which they had duly fasted since leaving Wellington, made tracks for the nearest victuals.

On Saturday morning, everyone was up bright and early to avoid the rush on the cars for Wilding Park, where the official welcome was being held. The Hon. G. J. Smith, Chairman of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College, and Dr. H. G. Denham welcomed the representatives in a few well-chosen words. The tennis preliminaries were then proceeded with, and at ten o'clock the boxing preliminaries were also commenced at the Municipal Concert Hall.

The afternoon was devoted to tennis and the evening divided between boxing and debating. Whether the debate was held at the same time as the boxing to exclude the more riotous spirits from the former, or not, we cannot say for certain, but judging by what happened at the debate, it would seem that some few of these spirits found their way there all right.

On Sunday afternoon, we assembled at Canterbury College for the Tournament photo, which was taken after the customary delay, and after this we had a delightful motor drive through Tai Tapu to Sumner, where afternoon tea awaited us. We left Sumner for Bishop Court to have another tea, which could not be resisted even by the athletic team, and after tea we listened to an address by a gentleman whose name we have forgotten, but certainly not his eloquence. At 7 p.m. the Cathedral service was so well attended that many of those who had tarried overlong at Bishop Court were compelled to stand throughout the service.

Monday's programme began with the basketball at 9 a.m. on the College courts, followed by the athletics at 11 a.m. at Lancaster Park, and ended (perhaps we have omitted some unofficial activities here) with a dance at the Rendezvous by way of training for the Tournament Ball.

Most of the tennis finals were decided on Tuesday, and on Tuesday night came "the piece de resistance," the ball, held at Winter Gardens, and to say that it was a sparkling affair is to say very little indeed. Only pleasant memories remain.

Wednesday saw the tennis finals concluded, and farewells were exchanged when the Otago team departed on the south express, and later when we left with Auckland on the good ship "Maori."

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Canterbury are to be congratulated on running a most successful tournament, for the arrangements in the hands of Messrs. F. J. Bennett and D. J. Macdonald left little to be desired.

V.U.C. sent the smallest team. Its policy of including only those of a definitely high standard was again justified by the results. Four men did the deed for us. Of these, and indeed of the whole field, Ramson stood out as the most classy performer. His wins in the 120 and 440 hurdles were anticipated, as also the long jump, but' his performance in the high jump came as a pleasant surprise. Leach's mile cracked him up. although Taylor was only a bare 5-10 yards to the good, after a clinking race run for him by Bain. His effort in the 880 championship was prejudiced by the strenuous mile. He made amends, however, in the relay, holding up well. Fabian is not in championship class yet, but a season or two should see him more in the running. Mackay's leg troubled him on the long jump and fixed him for the 440 hurdles. Goodson did well to land a second to Morgan. Eastwood did all the good things recent form had made us expect. His double success was the result of beautifully judged wins. Harley was a big surprise in the half. It was a great performance, and on a lighter track would easily have broken two minutes.

E. B. Smith was not his old self. His shift to Auckland's humid climate resulted in loss of weight and consequent loss of form.

Boxing.

At long last V.U.C. has its talons on the Boxing Shield, but only partly, for it shares its possession with Otago. The team as a team, was stronger on the whole than previously, and good contests were expected, although the results were better than we hoped for.

Logan drew a bye in the preliminaries, and boxed McAlevey in the finals. He shaded his man in round one, as a result of quick in and out work and good evasion. Rounds 2, 3, 4 he lost through wrong tactics—stood up and mixed it with too strong an opponent. Both were exhausted at the gong.

Edwards defeated Perry (C.) in his preliminary and won his final against Dallas (O.). Round 1 was good, Edwards wading and going in and out to head and heart effectively with great lefts. There were some willing "set-tos," and heavy hitting. After a very close bout Edwards came out superior as a boxer.

Petrie had a bout of flu prior to our departure for tournament and was unable to take part, which was unfortunate, as he had shown promise enough to make us fairly confident of a good bid for this weight.

Mahoney K.O.'d Mayhill in the second round, and was too long and rangey for Nixon in the final. The latter did superbly against his sizable opponent so well that an extra round was ordered, and our man, connecting more frequently and using his reach, just did the trick. Nixon gave a very plucky exhibition considering the natural disadvantage in reach and height.

Moore met the champion, Allen, in his preliminary, and did extremely well in the face of an experienced and well-set opponent. He went down to a better man after a lively go.

Sowry exceeded expectations against Frear, who subsequently won. But for one bad fault—bad footwork—he most likely would have been heavyweight champion to-day. Despite a big disadvantage in weight and size he came out with an enhanced reputation.

Basketball.

V.U.C. went down to O.U. in the first round, 7—5 the final score. But for staleness, due to too much training up to the last minute, they should have been easy winners. Their play was lifeless. To realise how our chances had been preudiced one needs but look at the score in the losers' round. Against C.U.C. we won 18—7, and A.U.C., who came out victors, defeated them 17—7 in the first round. However, every lesson must be paid for, and next time should see us in a more favourable position.

Haslam Shield.

Despite last minute alterations in the personnel of the team we came second to A.U.C. Considering also that some members had not been able to practise we did excellently. There were no outstanding, brilliant performances, the range from highest to lowest being appreciably legs than in previous years. This is desirable for the more every individual member approximates to the average, the more likelihood of the raising of that average. Our failure can be attributed to a sudden lapse in practice 2-snap, where we were 22 less than the winners.

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Tennis.

Our team did what was expected of it, and in one or two cases, surprised and delighted us by the good fights put up.

Malfroy was too good in the singles, and met opposition only in the final against A. C. Stedman, which match provided some great tennis.

Both ladies in the singles did well to take the first set from their redoubtable opponents, Miss M. Line, 6—3 in the first set against Miss M. O. Miller, and Miss M. Carty 6—3 against Miss E. E. Miller.

The results speak more eloquently than any report. They are:—

Men's Singles.—First Round: G. N. Goldie went down to A. C. Stedman (A.), 2—6, 1—6; C. E. Malfroy defeated C. J. Bowden (A.), 6—0, 6—0. Second round: Malfroy defeated E. H. Adkins (C.), 6—0, 6—0. Final: Malfroy defeated A. C. Stedman (A.), 6—1, 3—6, 6—4.

Men's Doubles—First Round: R. McL. Ferkins and C. S. Plank lost to Beatson and Dart (C.), 6—1, 1—6, 4—6. Malfroy and Goldie defeated McDonald and Turner (A.), 6—2, 6—4. Second round: V.U.C. defeated Adkins and England (C.), but in the final the Stedman brothers were too good, and we lost 6—1, 3—6, 3—6.

Ladies' Singles—Miss M. O. Miller (A.), defeated Miss M. Line, 3—6, 6—0, 6—1. Miss E. E. Miller (A.) defeated Miss M. Carty, 3—6. 6—5, 6—4.

Ladies' Doubles.—First Round: Misses Line and K. Zeisler defeated Misses James and Armstrong (C.), 6—2, 6—5. Misses Carty and M. Dyer defeated Misses Sharpe and Scott (O.), 6—2, 6—4. Second round: The first pair lost to Otago, the second to Auckland.

Combined Doubles.—First Round: Miss Carty and Malfroy lost to Miss Mueller and McDonald (A.), 6—8, 4—6. Miss Line and Goldie won from Miss Scott and Stall— worthy (O.), 7—5, 6—4. Second round: The second pair lost to A.U.C., 0—6, 2—6.

Although V.U.C. won by one title, it was enough to make Tournament Shield secure, but the results cannot be said in any way to flatter us as a team.

The Debate.

The contest for the Joynt Memorial Scroll was held in the Choral Hall on Saturday evening before a fair gathering of the public and a large gathering of students. The subject was "That State Interference in Industry and Commerce should be discouraged." The judges were Messrs. A. K. Anderson, M.A., J. H. E. Schroeder, M.A., and A. F. Wright. Bishop West-Watson was in the chair. The first debate was between Victoria College and Auckland University College.

Although the Victoria debaters, Messrs. G. R. Powles and W. J. Mountjoy, were successful in defeating the Aucklanders, they were only adjudged second on the whole debate, Otago winning with 154 points, as with Victoria's 160 points.

We consider that our speakers were very unfortunate in that they had to speak the explosion of huge crackers, and severe heckling were few of the obstacles they had to contend with.

Indeed, the rowdyism reached such a pitch that the chairmen were forced to adjourn the debate for quarter of an hour.

The speeches of our representatives were extremely fine and showed evidences of careful preparation, while W. J. Mountjoy is especially to be congratulated in being bracketed equal with Mr. J. A. Stallworthy, of Otago.