THE GAME OF BOWLS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 85, 20 January 1928, Page 2

THE GAME OF BOWLS.

ITS ANCIENT ORIGIN. POPULARITY INCREASING. Next to archery, bowls is iprababfy the most ancient British outdoor pastime, and, unlike archery, its popularity has been maintained and increased with the passing of the years. According to a MS. irf the Royal Library at Windsor, the game was in voo-ue in the thirteenth century, and the Southampton Town Club has maintained its green since 1299. Despite penal statutes in the interests of archery, howls grew in popular esteem and enjoyed the favour of kings and princes, Henry VIII., being an enthusiUnfortiinately bowls gradually deteriorated. Most of the greens were laid down in connection with taverns, and owing to the gambling and drunkenness that accompanied it, especially after the Restoration, the game came to be regarded as little better than a "pothouse recreation/' From this evil plight it was ultimately delivered by the bowlers of Scotland, who, towards the middle of the 19th century, had begun to construct greens of seaside turf on private gz-ound and chieflv at the instigation of W. W. Mitchell (1803-1884) drew up a code of laws which, revised, now practically govern the game in the British Empire. The Bowls. , The bowls are generally made of lignum vitae, the heavy wood of a West Indian tree, but what are called composition bowls are also on the market and increasing in favour. The-" must not exceed 165 inches in circumference, or 3slb in-weight and must have a bias imparted to one side by the turned Avhile the bowl is in the lathe, which shall make it draw, at the very least6ft to a 3D yards jack on a dry green of undoubted quality.

Bowls of narrower bias are not uncommon, but their use cannot be said to be either legal or sportsmanlike. Other things being equal, the bowler should use a heavy, well-balanced bowl of generous bias, as large, as he can handle comfortably. He should acquire, two pairs (four bowls being needed in singles and pairs), for he will learn to know his "wood," just as the cricketer gets to know his •bat. Rubber-soled shoes should always ( be worn.

The Games. Besides occasional competitions on the arts of drawing, guarding, trailing and driving, the usual games /are the single-handed (tour bowls each player), pair (four bowls apiece), and the four-a-side or rink (two bowls each). The games usually consist of not less than twenty-one heads. The object of each player is to roll his bowl nearer to the jack than the nearest of his opponents. Drawing to the jack (by virtue of the bias of the bowl) is the principal feature of the game. This may be done either on the right (or fore) or the left (or back) hand. Occasionally, however, one has to send down a very fast bowl with the intention of smashing a hostile head (calling "burning" the head, or picking a "wood" off the jack, or driving the jack into the ditch, or cutting it out of bounds. Playt in New Zealand is controlled by the , Dominion of New Zealand Bowling; Association, which has its own set ofl laws.

During recent years several innovations have been introduced. Indoor bowling rinks constructed of matting have come into being and in various parts of the Dominion greens are lighted by electricity with the object of allowing playing after dark.