FEET ON THE MAT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 155, 1 July 1914, Page 7

FEET ON THE MAT.

AN UNPOPULAR PROPOSAL. THE BOWUiHUS DELIVERY. There was at the annual meeting of tbe Auckland centre of .the New Zealand Howling Association, last night, considerable discussion on the motion Mr. ('. It. Smith intends tv move at a meeting of tbe council in Dunedin on July 7th" as follows:—-Tin. player, while delivering his bowl, must have the whole of iboth feet on thp mint, otherwise the bow! liraijV be stopped by the opposing side and in that case it :-hall 'become a dead bowl." The idea, of .Mr. Smith's motion is lo make the Xew Zealand laws uniform with those of Aibitrailia. Mr. Suhnaucr said it was a question whether they should sacrifice tbe 'free and graceful style oi New Zealand for the sake of extending a. courtesy tn Australian bowlers die uiiden?ti')o,l Abut the Australian rule was not by any means world-wide, and felt that it'would be better .to retain the New Zealand style, and let the Australians! ,play as they liked when they came over here. Air. AL Casey suggested .that as long as a man stepped straight off the mat it was fair enough, but if a man used the mat sideways be would undoubtedly have an advantage. Mr. J. Carhvw explained that the idea of passing the two 'feet on the ma.t -rule was to meet the courtesy of the Australians in bringing .flic lenglh nf their greens into line with those of New Zealand. Mr. A. I'nutts said the proposed rule would be very hard on old players who would have much difficulty in conforming with il. The tone of the discussion was generally against the proposed alteration although .several of the delegates bad been instructed by their clubs lo vote for it. On the motion of the chairman it was decided that the delegates nf the Auckland centre be instructed to oppose Mr. Smith's motion.