DRAUGHTS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 272, 13 June 1888, Page 3

DRAUGHTS.

DuurM! laVu fortnight Mr Wyllie has be&ti playing in Kaiapoi and Rnngiora, with his usual success. On May 25, at Kaiupoi, ho played thirteen members of the local Caledonian Society simultaneously, defeating them all. The ' Turf ' hears that there is ' a row in the Bo&ton camp as to the division of funds won in the late Martins-Barker match, the pool earnings not being fairly-dh ided. .According to a letter irotn Mr C. Taylor, published in the 'Boston (Uobe,' there is something- more than a ' row ' on. Hesays : 'When the international match between Barker and Mai tins was proposed, I was asked to contribute to the stakes for Mr Barker. 1 did so, and when Mr Barker had won the match and returned home the stakes were divided among part of the backers ; but [ have not received a cent ot the amount that I put into the stakes. 1 have asked two of the parties avlio had the handling of the money, and each one has told me that the other would pay me. Is that the way that the backers of professional checker players usually fare"'' This letter, says the droughts editor ot the 'Globe,' 'explains itself.' It doc.^ more than that in our view. Barker, the American champion, who recently defeated Martins, was challenged by Smith, a well-known English draughts player, but declined to accept unle&s Smith allowed him l'2O as expenses. Barker's action was severely censured both by American and English writers, it being broadly hinted that the "expenses item \yas only insisted upon because he was afraid of the Englishman. The ' Turf, c Field ' and ' Farm ' were amongst Barker's opponeuts, and did not hesitate to state that the American should meet Smith, sinking the matter of expenses.

The Minister of Works of Nesv South Wale.s contemplates the early introduction of the electric lighting system in railway oavriages.