BOWLERS' CONGRESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 218, 12 September 1923, Page 11

BOWLERS' CONGRESS.

NORTHERN TOURNAMENT. FOLLOWING UP THE BOWL. LIMIT OF FIFTEEN FEEX (By Telegraph.—Press Association., CHWSTCrTTRCH, Tuesday. The annual meeting of the Dominion Bowling Association opened to-day, when it was resolved that the headquarters be Temoved from Auckland to Christchurch. The president-elect, Mr. John Brown (Christchureh), was in the chair, and delegates Irom the principal centres were present. Mr. E. W. Wade, secretary of the Christchurch centre, was elected secretary for the year that the headquarters are located in Christchurch. The annual report, showed that members of bowling clubs numbered 14,324, an increase of 400. The report was adopted after complimentary references had been made to the Auckland executive, and it 'was resolved that spare fund's should be invested. Mr. W. Coltman (Auckland) reported on the itinerary of the South African team, which is expected to visit Xew Zealand this summer. The visit will include trips to Rotorua, Wanganui River the East Coast, and Cold Lakes. On oehalf of the Wanganui centre. 3lr. J. B. Jack moved that clause 3 of the rules of the association be amended br providing that when the championship is held in the South Island, any centre or group of centres in the Xorth Island approved by the council may conduct the North Island tournament, similar provision to be made when the chamDionship tournament is being held in the JCortu Island. The object, said Mr. Jack, was to give the smaller centres an opportunity of holding tournaments. The smaller centres felt they were now big enough to hold an island tournament in their districts. They did not wish in any way to prejudice the Dominion tournament. The whole matter of time and place of the tournament would be in the hands of the council, and it was not proposed to hold it at the same time as the Dominion tournament. It was proposed that it should be a rinks tournament. The motion was carried unanimously. PENALTIES FOR BREACH. ;Mr. ileadowcroft, on behalf of Wellington centre, moved an alteration to Part lIL, rule 7. laws of the game (referring to a player following his bowl). The alteration provided that for the first breach the player shall be cautioned, and for the second or subsequent oreaches the bowl shall be declared dead and I>e removed from the grreen unless it has come into contact with any other bowl, in which, case the opposing skip shall have the option of (1) Leaving the head as it is; (2) replacing the disturbed bowl or bowls, and (or) the jack; or (3) declaring the head dead. 3lr. 3lcCalluni supported the proposed alteration, but held that the distance over the mat constituting a breach should be made 20ft instead of 10ft. After further discussion it -was agreed that the distance that a player could follow his bowl shall not be more than 15ft from the mat. The motion was carried unanimously. LINES OX TEE MAT. Mr. Meadawcroft, on behalf of Wellington centre, moved that both the front and side of the mat shall be marked similarly. He contended the alteration ■would have the effect of assisting in making players observe the 'loot on the mat" rule. Mr. Coltman moved an amendment that the matter be deferred for a year. He said the alteration would put clubs to a considerable amount of xiouble in changing mate. The amendment was defeated. ilr. Jack moved a further amendment providing that mats be marked with a centre line sis inches wide, on which a portion of the bowlegs foot shall be resting at the time he delivers his bowl. The amendment and motion were both defeated. TOURNEY PROGRAMME. It was decided that the Dominion tournament should be held in Christchurch in January, singles to be played on the 9th and 10th; pairs, 11th and 12th; rinks, 14th, loth, lbth, and 17th. Po=t sectional play will be on the twolife system. Two rink games will be played each day. Discussion took place on the suggestion that the association should make a grant to the various centres to enable them to entertain visiting teams of bowlers from overseas, it being recognised that the cost of Euch entertainment pressed heavily on some of the less wealthy centres. A suggestion that a levy of so much per head should be made on the clubs for entertainment of visitors failed to receive much support. No action was taken. Mr. Meadowcroft drew attention to the practice of granting affiliation to a club taking a similar name to that of an older club. He mentioned as an example the Victoria Club in Wanganui being , granted affiliation while there -was another club of that name in Wellington. He Tnoved that it be an instruction to the executive not to grant affiliation in such cases. The motion was carried.