BOWLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 261, 4 November 1925, Page 9

BOWLING.

THE BRITISH VISITORS. ARRIVAL NOW DEFINITE. (By TRUNDLER.) There will be a general feeling of satisfaction that at last it is definitely settled when the British bowlers will arrive, and their date of departure is also fairly definite, if passages have been secured by the Arawa, as the future movements of that vessel are tolerably certain. After all the doubt about when and where they would arrive by the Ulimaroa, it seems an excellent arrangement to come by the Aorangi, a vessel whose arrival can generally be timed within a few minutes. Accordingly they may be expected at daylight on Monday, December 21, and this information will now enable local arrangements to be made for their entertainment. It is unlikely that the Dominion executive will consent to the visitors staying here longer than for the rest of the week, but even that period will be far better than the previous arrangement, as four full days will be available for visiting the clubs and playing any Test matches, while on the Friday they will learn for the first time how* Christmas Day is spent in the Southern Hemisphere. The passage across the Tasman Sea by the Aorangi will have several distinct advantages. The extra train journey through the island will be saved. A voyage by such a magnificent vessel as the motor-ship Aorangi will not convey such an impression that Xew Zealand is out of the world, and the same beneficial effect will be produced by the fortunate circumstance that their arrival will synchronise with the arrival of the 400 American tourists who are including Xew Zealand in their pleasure trip round the world. On their departure from Auckland it would be a fine scheme if they could be accompanied by one or two of the Auckland members of the Dominion Council through the rest of the North Island, prior to their reception at Lyttelton by the South Island members. All three will be going to Dunedin in any case, and it would only mean leaving about a fortnight earlier, in order to give our distinguished visitors this complimentary escort. Visitors from Tauranga. The new secretary of the centre, Mr. G. L. Gladding, entered upon his duties as from the first of the month, and his first official duty was a very congenial one, the arrangement of the itinerary for four rinks of Tauranga bowlers, who will arrive early next Wednesday morning, to spend three days in the city. . Many of the Tauranga members are known to city players, especially to those who follow up their week at Rotorua by spending the next week at the Bay of Plenty capital, but this is the first official visit to the city since they changed their affiliation, and joined the Auckland Centre. Two matches will be played each day, commencing at 9.30 a.m and 2 pm. respectively. On Wednesday they play Onehunga and Carlton. On Thursday they go to Devonport, playing the club in the morning and the centre executive in the afternoon. On Friday they play Ponsonby and Mount Eden. No doubt all these clubs will arrange their matches on Saturday, so that there will be no confusion through players being picked who are unable to attend at the due time. , The Pennant Matches. Saturday will probably see the notice ■boards in the various pavilions decorated with the names of the teams taking part in the pennant matches on the following Saturday, November 14, and there will naturally be the keenest curiosity as to the sixteen players which the selectors will choose in each of the sixteen clubs taking part in the fourrink championship,- to be played this year for the first time. One match committee are said to have got over the difficulty by picking the whole of the teams required, and then selecting by ballot the four .for the championship. Another will select the four skips, and let them choose their own teams from the whole club, before the pennant i teams are chosen. Grey Lynn sent four rinks' to the •Mental Hospital last Saturday, Where i they were defeated by 82 to 79. The green was in excellent condition, and the play was very keen. A return match is being played on the Grey Lynn green this afternoon. These visits are very much appreciated by the patients, and it 1 would be a fine thing if every club in Auckland would pay them one yisit during the coming season, and invite them in return. Any day of the week would i suit the hospital, and arrangements can easily be made by telephone. Intending visitors need not consider that they will be undergoing any hardship by taking a trip to the hospital, for there is a beautiful green, where they will thoroughly enjoy a keen, game, aud this recreation for the patients is encouraged by the authorities. The first monthly tournament at Grey Lynn is to "take place next Wednesday. The Ellerslie green was closed last Saturday, as a tribute of respect to the late Captain Gordon, who died during the week. Most of the members attended the funeral, four of them acting as pall-bearers, viz.. Messrs. W. Gavey, J. A. Godfrey, W. Somervell and A. McKenzie.