Sports

Cricketer's Death

Mars Pt. Moresby v. Wau Sports

From Our Own Correspondent

Pt. Moresby, Jan. 1.

A TRAGEDY ended the sporting pro gramme for the visitors from Wan, New Guinea, on Friday, December 27, when, just before midnight, as the Cric ket Ball \yas in full swing, news was received from the European Hospital of the death of one of the Wau cricketers, Mr. F. Turner.

Mr. Turner’s death was due to heat and exhaustion—December 27 being one of the hottest days known in Port Moresby for many years. He batted for his team in the morning and later in the day went into the field as wicketkeeper.

In the afternoon he was seized by severe cramps and was forced to retire. His condition became serious in the evening and he was taken to the European Hos pital, where he died shortly after admit tance.

“Webbie” Turner, as he was known in New Guinea, had been in the Territory for over five years. After spending some months at Bali plantation on Unea

Island, near the Witu Group, he joined the service of Burns, Philp and Co., Rabaul. Recently he left New Britain for the Morobe goldfield to take up duties as secretary to the Wau Club Limited.

He was 32 years of age.

On Saturdaj' afternoon, December 28, representatives of the Wau and local sporting bodies held a meeting and decided that, owing to the unfortunate occurrence, the match should be aban doned until a later date. On Sunday and the following Monday the visitors re turned to Wau by ’planes.

The contests to date had been fairly even. The Wau men won at tennis and snooker, while Port Moresby were vic torious at billiards and in the first innings at cricket. The local cricketers would certainly not have disposed of Wau as easily again, and a reversal of the scores in the second innings would have brought a very close match. Wau’s sporting offer to hand over the Dewar’s Cup on the strength of a first innings result was fully appreciated by the Port Moresby men. but was not an offer that they felt inclined or justified to accept.