CHESS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2659, 3 January 1916, Page 9

CHESS

THE PASSING OF A BENEFACTOR. (By a Player.) The late Mr. E. W. Petlierick, who died on Christmas Day,, aged 75, was a generous supporter of cliess in New Zealand. Ho was senior vice-president of the Wellington Chess Club for somo years, and was elected president at tho club's annual meeting in 1908, to fill tho vacancy caused by the death of Mr. C. W. Benbow, the 30-year president, wlio had died some two months' earlier. Many a time (and always unostentatiously) has the late Mr. Petlisrick "como to the rescue" when the club has been hampered as regards finance, and ho often secured new members, which the club at all times so sorely needs to fill up gaps in its ranks. Two very valuable trophies were also presented by him' in connection with the club's annual handicap tourney. The "No.. 1 trophy," presented in 1902, was won outright by Mr. R-. J. Barnes in 1908, when he. scored his third win. Mr. Petlierick then presented his "No. 2 trophy," which is held for the present by Mr. W. White, of Petone. Equally generous support marked Mr. Petherick's connection with the Now Zealand Chess Association, of which he was for como years a North Island vice-presi-dent, and on the council, of winch body lie sat as delegate for the Wellington and Palmerston North Clubs. The three local clubs and the New Zealand Chess Association were represented at tho funeral, which took place at the Sydney Street cemetery. Sergeant Davies, of the Fifth Reinforcements, who has twice won the chess championship of New Zealand, was amongst those who returned invalided, or sick, iu the Tahiti. When passing through Wellington on Tuesday last, en Touts for Auckland, ho reported, making good progress towards recovery i from dengue fever, and was hopeful of being able to return to camp in due course. He mentioned that Captain Evans, of the Tahiti, who was second in command in one of .the polar expeditions, is a very capable and enthusiastic chess player.