From his seven-table billiard saloon in Johannesburg, under date November 1, Harverson writes to The Billiard Player:—
"The amateur championship of South Africa, played this year at Cape Town, is only in its second year. The first was played last year here in Johannesburg. Next year it will take place at Durban, Natal, and it is hoped that the Orange Free State will form an association next year. The Western Province Association has been in existence seventeen years; the Transvaal Association ten years; the Natal Association two years, and the Eastern Province Association six months. The Transvaal players had to travel by train, to Cape Town, 1,014 miles—two and a-half days' journey with two nights in the train. That fine old sport, Mr. Malraison, the secretary, who is 77 years of age, accompanied Mr. Arthur Walker, the president, with the players. Those from Natal travelled by boat over 600 miles, and they spent two weeks in Cape Town to play the event through. The Mayor of Cape Town pushed the event off, and it was a great success. The winner, Mr. Allen Prior, is a young man of 20 years of age, and will be getting a great reception on his reaching home."
"Please correct a statement in the September issue of The Billiard Player with regard to Stevenson playing Ferraro in the championship of South Africa nearly 30 years ago. Ferraro is only 39 years old now. The entrants for the South African championship (spot barred) played at Tattersall's Saloon in Johannesburg (the first of its kind) in August, 1893. There were four players: W. Laxson, of Leeds; H. W. Stevenson, of Hull; A. H. Hislop, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and Cecil Harverson, of London. W. Laxson won by beating Cecil Harverson in the final. Cecil Harverson won the championship in 1895 from W. Laxson. Later he resigned the title by leaving the country for seventeen years, but he regained it from Frank Ferraro in 1916. He has held it yearly since 1917, and still retains it. H. W. Stevenson has never won the Championship of South Africa."
"Best wishes for the success of your bright paper; there is plenty of room for it among billiard readers."
[We do not seem able to trace our authority for stating that Stevenson beat Ferraro for the South African championship nearly 30 years ago, but in an interview published in The Morning Herald, Perth, Western Australia, on May 15, 1903, Stevenson is represented as having said: "I started to play professional!;- in Brighton, and when I was seventeen years old I went out to South Africa. That was in 1891. I stayed there for two years and a-half, and left there as the champion of South Africa." The categorical statement now received from Harverson (whom we thank for his letter and kind remarks) would seems to place the point in a different light—Ed., B.P.]