BOWLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 87, 13 April 1927, Page 15

BOWLING.

THE EASTER TOURhjAi .■ f. COXDITIOXS INTRODUCED. f SHOULD TAKE NOTICE. (By TRUXDLER. i Competitors would be wise to spend a little time between this evening and Friday morning studying other points besides the number of matches they are going to win, for the conditions are all set nut in the programme, and they differ it; several very important respects from those adopted for all previous tournaments. Jy the first place the time for starting is altered. Instead of the usual 9 o'clock start, file first game starts at 8.4.3 each day. "Chis seems a very wise provision, for Easter is a fortnight later than it was last year, and the sun will set about twenty minutes later. Several matches were finished in the dark last year, and even with a punctual start there will be less time this year, so all the umpires will be well supported if they get .lie first round going on the stroke of the quarter, besides hurrying on the leisurely ones at lunch and afternoon tea.

Probably, even more important, from «t time-saving point of view, is the strict observance of the rule about following up a bowl, and still more the rule preventing the thirds from strolling Tip to the hear, until they have played both their bowls. Skips are still allowed by law to waste time in this way, and that i~ quite bad enough, ■without the thirds breaking the rule by also going up. In this connection the action of Mr. Casey came in for a good deal of commendation during the pairs tournameiK. On the very rare occasions when his skip suggested that he should go up and have a look at the head he replied: '"Tell me what you want, and 1 will try and play it."

Dead heads will probably delay some matches into twilight, and this cannot be helped, but all preventable causes of delay should be taken in hand. The Two-Life System. For the first time the conditions provide for the two-life system, played last year at the unanimous request of the teams qualifying, but one point would be worth considering. The sixes will all qualify if any section is won or tied with six wins, and there is the usual provision for playing off any section tied with five wins. Of course this is an extremely remote possibility, but in case the unlikely should happen it would appear better to let all the ties in that scction go forward, rather than hold up tlie tournament while they play it off.

it would have to be on Tuesday morning, and if the first round proceeded simultaneously wiih these ties it would really give them a greater advantage than if they took part at once in the first round. This is worth considering before the tournament proceeds very far, for it is quite different at the Dominion tournament, when the t-ingles and the pairs could go on while the ties were being played. Bowls to be Stamped. Some consternation will doubtless have been caused by the intimation that the new rule has now come into effect, requiring bowls to hbar the 1925 or subsequent stamp. There seems to be a general impression that this rule was only to come into force at the end of the present season. Those whose bowls are not stamped would do well to ring up the official tester this evening, and make an appointment. The matter of Laving bowls marked with a distinguishing brand on both discs might well be strictly enforced for the future, after all the warnings that have been given. Plain discs arc only a temptation to somebody to turn them over, to see whose they are, and it is time this was stopped.

Substitutes and Disputes. -v . ilations regarding substitutes haw into force. Instead of tlie toin.. . committee, the skips mav now ion a substitute. Those who keep in touch with Australian affairs will appreciate the value of the New Zealand provision that all decisions are subject to appeal. At least two decisions have been lately given in Australia in important matches, quite contrary to the rules, but the aggrieved had no redress, as the decision of the umpire is final. It is not likely that an Auckland umpire will ever give a decision contrary to the rules in future, and this would not have hap]>ened in the past if umpires had referred to the rules before announcing their decision, but competitors will be much more comfortable when they know that if the umpire made a mistake they may appeal. All that is now wanted is fine weather, and an enjoyable tournament is assured. Good greens have been selected by the committee, but they will most likely lie so soft, as a result of all the rain, that umpires will need to protect them by strictly enforcing the rule about one foot on "the mat, a violation of which is the principal reason for crreens becoming needlesslv knocked about.

Presentations. Two presentations were made on the Onehunga green on Saturday. In the absence of the president, Mr. S. 11. Davenport, who is on the way to England. Hr. H. R. Mackenzie presented Mr. F. Hartley with an umbrella, invitinir him to keep it as a memento of the many friends lie had made during his ten or twelve years with the club." Mr. Hartley and family leave for Sydney !>v tiie Marama to-morrow, en route to l-.i«land by the Orama. Mr. Mackenzie voiced the sentiments of the club members when he assured the recipient that if ever he decided to return to New Zealand a warm welcome would await him at Onehunpa. Just at closing time there arrived Mr. A. H. Roylnnce, president of Rocky Aook Club, accompanied by some of his "Hicers, to present the prizes to the Onehunga team who won the St. Patricks Day tournament at Rooky Xook.

CLUB MATCHES. !'AP.\TII]-;T<)!■: OUEKX. Fours.—ll. I try a nt, Litclifiold, . ■ ' v. Kosivoii re 14. v. S. Gubb i i" , i' !^*atson ' Rawnslry 38; F. Waters, '■..I'lilinir. McCallum. Bvj:rave 31 v G i'ff'T- Runciniari. G. Runciman. CrawV- . ' Fricker, Luceun. Mclvor i Y McConkpy. Galloway. Cowling 11 ' » * !llnc ' mM "- 'i'irtmarsh. iSiurtbcinmi i T - ; Bootii. Daisloy, Brown 20; F. Wills Hosking, Knight 23, v. li. McCuUougli,

INTER-CLUB MATCHES.

Papatoctoe v. Howick (Howick names 'irst). E. Pace. Newton. Gerrinji. Selby {4 v Buckton. Galloway. Crawford, 30: Roberts, Speir. Bates, Milieu l."s = v. Haisley, Thomas. Cut fort li, Knight "S- I*. I'ape! Kiineinian, F.eckott, Wilson is' v' K. MeCnlloiisrta. Hryott. P.'-nwn. Sniytheman 10. Totals: Ilowiek, -IT, Papatoctoe. 0!i. The Hikutaia Club played a return match with Thames on Saturday, sending' down four rinks . The wi-atlier. though dull, was line, and an enjoyable afternoon was spent on the Thames screen. The visitors were welcomed bv Mr. F. li. Cameron, president of the Thames Club, and before leaving Mr. W. Alley, president of the Hikutaia Club, returned the thanks of the visitors for the hospitality extended to them by their Thames friends. The total points scored were: Thames 95, Hikutaia 02. The following are the scores in each rink. Hikutaia being named lirst : Gubb, Morrison, t»ilnioro. A. Hobinson l!l. v. Jackson, Palmer, Newman. Delamure IT ; Avery. Alley, Kobinson Winder 13. v. Graham. Murray, Alex.l nder. Clark 27: Welch, K. .Morrison. W. Morrison. Flliot 11. v. Chilton. F.ateman. Peebles. Co rites •"•'!: H. Morrison, lieid. M. Morrison. Valentine If. v. Lowe, McCullough, Lone:, Mackay IS. PONSONBY ELECTRIC LIGHT TOURNAMENT. The results of Monday night's play are as follows: — Carbines IS, v. Turner li ; Dick jj. v. Little Hi. . , t , The following will play to-night : —luck. Carbines. Preston. Matthews, Gibson, Gateward. Turner. HENDERSON CLUB. .SATURDAY'S GAMES. Five matches were played, anil resulted in the honours being equally divided. The teams were : — -Vuckland Centre No. 1: J. Hardley. B. Carter, ,J. Thompson. A. Tarsous 21. y. Henderson: 15. Hart. H. J. Ciiandler, I . .1. McKav. I. E. Scott 1-'. Auckland Centre. No. 2: S. Coldicutt, li. Whitten. A. C. Tonkin, E. J. Wright IS. v. Henderson : H. A. Bisscomb. I). X. McLeod. W. Marshall. H. W. Gill IS. Auckland Centre. No. 3 : W llson, "h'.il(iing. Yeoman, l'ascoe 22, v. Henderson : 1.. Smith, G. Y. Canton, J. Snnth, W. J. Leighton 16. ~ , Kooky Nook : Taylor, Findlay. < hambers. Yeo IT, v. Henderson : L. S. Hriilson. i>. Laurie, K. Iligginbotham, A. It. Pook. 22. E.lendale: Culpau, Double. Llakely. Edwards ll», v. Henderson : Moors, Ozicu, A. F. Miissey. H. Norcross 10. Friendly games were also played by tirMyear teams ol the Henderson Club as 1«>1j lows ;—\V. Pickering, G. Wormald. \\. Knajrffs, J. Pickering v - McGill. iv. Corban, P. W. Newton, A. Schramm 13. PUKEKOHE PAIRS TOURNEY. A pairs tournament promoted by the l'ukekohe Bowling Club for trophies donated bv Mr. J. H. Webb, a member of the club, resulted in a win for W. Stewart and W. Blake with four wins and a draw, out of five games. They were the only pair that did not suffer defeat.